August 8, 2008, Newsletter Issue #128: Beware of starvation diet!
Tip of the Week
You might be surprised but very low calorie dieting among teens leads to gaining weight. Research of chronically dieting girls clearly proved it. The inevitable combination of hunger, cravings and that special "diet stress" can cause you binge eating.
Besides, you'll lose muscles and will look sluggish and weak. As you become older than 11, your body starts requiring a minimum of 1800 Calories; at age of 18, boys need up to 2700 Cal. a day or else they feel extreme tiredness, their bones become weak, skin and hair problems begin, and hormonal problems such as skipping periods can occur. Teens also perform poor in gyms and classrooms when on starvation diets.
So what does exist instead of starvation diets for overweight teens? For most of them, just eating healthy and exercising enough. Eating healthy means that before you get your hands on junk food, you MUST eat at least a minimal amount of foods your body desperately needs, namely:
Vegetables
Fruits
Lean meats and fish
Seeds and nuts
Oils
Example. A 15-years old girl, 5'5", weighing 120 pounds, moderately active, to maintain her current weight needs *all* of the following:
- 2,095 calories a day;
- 70 grams of fats, better "good" fats like olive oil;
- 79 grams of protein. Some nutritionists think that proteins from beans, grains, and tofu are best because they're low in fat;
- 288 grams of "good" carbohydrates like whole grains, fruits and vegetables;
- At least 24 grams of fiber. Fiber-rich foods such as beans, whole grains, nuts, fruit, and vegetables is a good way to keep heavier foods out of your diet. Fiber also help to absorb less of calories coming in with foods.
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