Womens_HealthAustralia-February_2017

Answer 1 B

As a unit of energy output from

a certain food type, a kilojoule

is a kilojoule, says nutritionist and

dietitian Hala El-Shafie. But our

macronutrients (carbs, fats and

protein) serve different functions,

and their kilojoules are used

differently inside the body. For

instance, protein requires the

most energy to burn and keeps

you feeling fuller for longer.

Your move

To gauge your daily kilojoule needs, hit up

an intake calculator (we like the daily Energy

Requirements Calculator on eatforhealth.

gov.au). Make sure your result includes at

least 0.75g of protein per kilo of your

bodyweight – but you’ll need to bump this

up if you’re smashing the workouts.

Answer 2 C

Cheers, Mum and Dad. Scientists

have identified several obesity

genes, including FTO, a single

variation of which can raise your

obesity odds by up to 30 per cent.

Still, “While genetic factors play

a role in obesity, they don’t prevent

weight loss,” says medical weight-

loss specialist Dr Robert Ziltzer.

Answer 3

Answer 3

RICE, PASTA

OR PRETZELS

MOBILE PHONE

PEANUT BUTTER TENNIS BALL

CHEESE GOLF BALL

CHOCOLATE TENNIS BALL

BAGEL MATCHBOX

FISH SMALL SAUCER

ICE-CREAM DOMINO

Your move

Forget measuring every morsel; just keep

the equivalent everyday object in mind when

dishing up. And be vigilant when tired – that’s

when you up your portion size. Start a photo

diary so you don’t serve too much. But don’t

tweet it – nobody wants to be that person.

Answer 7 D

It’s a popular misconception that

gluten-free means ‘good for you’.

Sure, if you’re intolerant to gluten

it’s an absolute lifeline, but for

the rest of us it’s not always the

best option. For example, San

Remo’s Gluten Free pasta spirals

have more fat, sugar and sodium

(and less protein), compared with

their regular pasta spirals for

almost the same kilojoules.

Your move

Keen on carbs, but still want to cut back on

gluten? Nutritional medicine expert Dr Sarah

Brewer has some advice for bread fiends:

“Rye bread, which contains significantly less

gluten than wheat bread, helps to suppress

hunger. Have it at breakfast to reduce your

appetite before lunch and this effect will

continue into the afternoon, curbing your

cravings.” Toast it is, then.

Answer 8 A

Yep, zzzs are almost as important

as kilojoules. A study in Annals Of

Internal Medicine suggests people

who sleep 5.5 hours may burn 1674

fewer kilojoules the following day

than those who log a full 8.5 hours.

Scientists believe this is due to

increases in the hunger hormone

ghrelin and dips in the satiety

hormone leptin when we get tired.

Now that’s a nightmare.

Your move

To get a decent night’s sleep turn off the

TV (or Netflix) at least 90 minutes before

you hit the hay. That goes for your

smartphone and tablet, too, as the glow

their screens emit can suppress the sleep

hormone melatonin, so ban them at

bedtime. You snooze, you win.

Answer 9

If you’re pregnant, breastfeeding or

planning to have kids at some point,

stick to two portions a week. Oily

fish can contain polychlorinated

biphenyls – a type of pollutant that

won’t have an immediate effect on

your health but can build up over

time to impair your immune and

reproductive systems. Don’t risk it.

Your move

If you’re cutting back on oily fish, you’ll need

to get your omega-3s elsewhere. Look for

a supplement with choline, a compound that

helps to effectively metabolise lipids. WH

Answer 4 C

One thing is certain: maintaining

your goal weight takes as much effort

as the initial loss. The new, leaner you

needs about 1255 fewer kilojoules a

day, according to a study at Columbia

University in the US. Need an easy

strategy? Cut the carbs from one of

each day’s meals. Hasta la vista, pasta.

Your move

People who work out for at least 30 minutes

a day do best at keeping fat from creeping

back, according to the journal Clinical

Nutrition. “If you want treats, eat them after

you work out so the [kilojoules] are used

for fuel, not stored as fat,” says PT Anwar

Gilbert. Just don’t undo all that hard work.

Answer 5

NUTS AND^

GREEK YOGHURT

EGGS ON RYE

Thanks to all its fruit, that giant

smoothie may harbour twice the

kilojoules you just burned. So pick

Greek yoghurt and nuts, or eggs on

rye, after a sweat sesh. Protein-rich

recovery foods replenish glycogen

stores and give you the raw materials

you need to build new muscles and

even reduce your kilojoule intake.

Your move

Protein with a little carbs is your best option.

Still fancy a shake? Get the perfect ration

with this, within 20 minutes of working out:

half a banana, protein powder, almond milk

and flaxseed. You earned it.

Answer 6 B&C

“Willpower isn’t constant – it goes

up and down based on your

environment,” explains Dr Sherry

Pagoto, a clinical psychology

professor. Spend a dull meeting

staring at a pile of doughnuts and

you’ll end up with sugar on your face,

but remove temptation and you’ll

resist any dessert like a pro.

Your move

Stress leads to bad choices, so sugary

snacks start to look very tempting when

you’re still at your desk at 9pm. Instead,

have a few squares of dark chocolate. “Eat

them with almonds – their protein wards off

a sugar spike,” says El-Shafie. Then go home.

Nothing’s worth killing yourself over.

138 womenshealth.com.au FEBRUARY 2017

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WORDS: ANTHEA ENGLAND. PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES; ADAM VOORHES/GALLERY STOCK/SNAPPER MEDIA