Design an energy intake and low-calorie diet plan based on a weight diary.

Design energy intake based on a weight diary

In designing energy intake, the main focus is on estimating the energy consumption of dieters in their daily lives, thereby designing their "weight loss plan," and monitoring the negative balance in the body's energy metabolism by examining the implementation of the "weight loss plan."

A survey of energy intake before weight loss

Before obese individuals begin a weight loss program, their first task is to keep a food diary. During the first week, they don't need to start dieting, but they must faithfully record the food they consume each day. The purpose of this record is to serve as a key indicator for weight loss instructors designing a "weight loss plan." Regarding how to convert the food intake and calories consumed by the dieter, this section will introduce food classifications and equivalent substitutions.

① Food classification and its equivalent substitution table

Food is mainly divided into seven categories:

Category 1: Grains and root vegetables.

Category 2: Beans, meat, fish, and eggs.

Category 3: Dairy products.

Category 4: Oils and fats.

Category 5: Type A vegetables.

Category 6: Type B vegetables.

Category 7: Fruits.

The concept of equivalent substitution refers to defining a serving of food by its kilocalories (kcal). The exact number (in grams) in a serving varies depending on the food category. For example, a serving of grains and root vegetables is 68 kcal. A serving of white rice is equivalent to 1/4 bowl (50 grams). Therefore, eating half a bowl of rice provides 68 x 2 = 136 kcal. Similarly, a serving of whole milk is 170 kcal. A serving of whole milk is 240 ml. Drinking a 240 ml glass of whole milk provides 170 kcal.

(2) Estimation of daily calorie consumption

Food diaries are a common language for dieters and weight loss coaches. After a dieter has been keeping a food diary for a week, the coach can easily know the daily food intake and calculate the daily calorie intake. For example, if a dieter consumes a total of 12,600 kcal in a week, the average daily calorie intake is 1,800 kcal, which is also the daily calorie expenditure.

Record of energy intake during weight loss

(1) Design of “Negative Energy Balance”

After calculating the daily energy expenditure, the instructor can design a "negative energy balance," which means reducing the calories the dieter would normally need. The reduced portion is then supplemented by the calories generated from burning body fat, thus achieving the effect of weight loss.

An adult's body fat tissue consists of 75% fat, 23% water, and small amounts of protein and minerals. Each kilogram of body fat represents 7,700 kilocalories. In other words, to lose 1 kilogram of body fat, you need to reduce your calorie intake by 7,700 kilocalories over a certain period of time. For example, if a person who normally needs 2,000 kilocalories per day reduces their daily calorie intake by 800 kilocalories, they will lose 5,600 kilocalories in a week, resulting in a weight loss of 5,600 ÷ 7,700 kilocalories = 0.7 kilograms.

Consuming 800 to 1,000 kcal less than the required amount daily can lead to a weight loss of 3 to 4 kilograms per month. Gradual weight loss is crucial to avoid causing severe hunger, fatigue, and weakness. Men should consume 1400 to 1600 kcal daily, women 1200 to 1400 kcal, while older adults should consume 1000 to 1200 kcal, due to their lower basal metabolic rate and reduced activity levels.

Obese individuals undergoing negative energy balance therapy are typically prescribed a low-calorie diet. A low-calorie diet provides 10-20 kcal per kilogram of body weight, below the ideal weight. For example, a woman who is 163 cm tall and has an ideal weight of 55 kg would receive 10 or less kcal per kilogram of body weight under this very low-calorie diet. This extremely low-calorie diet is often used to treat severe obesity.

(2) Distribution of nutrients in a low-calorie diet

The mentor designs the expected weight loss in kilograms per week for the dieter, as well as the daily calorie intake. Then, the mentor must design a low-calorie diet based on the dieter's daily calorie intake.

The most important aspect of designing a low-calorie diet is the distribution of nutrients. How nutrients are distributed not only affects the health of the dieter but also influences the effectiveness of weight loss. Now let's talk about nutrients:

protein

Protein is a major component of body cells, the primary source of muscle, internal organs, bones, and blood. It is also essential for the synthesis of hormones, antibodies, and enzymes, and is a vital nutrient for maintaining life and controlling metabolism. Therefore, even during weight loss, it is important to maintain a standard intake of at least 1-1.3 grams of high-quality protein per kilogram of body weight. That is, a 60-kilogram person should consume at least 60-80 grams of protein daily. A low-calorie diet must provide a minimum amount of protein to prevent lean tissue breakdown and provide necessary carbohydrates to avoid excessive ketone production; it also needs to supplement vitamins and minerals to prevent other adverse reactions.

Minerals and vitamins

Choose foods rich in minerals and vitamins to provide your body with what it needs. If your calorie intake is too low (below 800 calories), you must supplement with vitamins and minerals. The vegetables listed in Table A are very low in calories and can be eaten freely. If you feel that your meals are not enough to meet your psychological needs, you can supplement with these foods. For example, sugar-free fruit jelly.

Moisture

When you start dieting, you'll experience a significant drop in weight during the first week due to reduced calorie intake, especially by choosing a low-protein, low-fat diet. This is because of water loss. However, after a week, weight loss plateaus as the body replenishes water and fat begins to be burned. This process lasts for one to ten days before weight drops again; this is when actual fat tissue is lost. Because water is heavier than oil, weight may slightly increase as the body replenishes water. Despite this, there's no need to restrict water intake. Water retention can cause weight to increase instead of decrease, but soon, weight will suddenly drop significantly. Dieters should understand this process to avoid feeling discouraged or disappointed by weight gain.

The table below shows an example of a low-calorie diet:

Total daily calorie intake (calories): 800 1,000 1,500

Nutritional content: Protein (g) 70 75 90

Fat (g) 25 25 40

Sugar (grams) 75 130 200

(3) Weight changes under negative energy balance

After the mentor designs a low-calorie diet for the dieter, the next step is for the dieter to take charge. The dieter must adhere to the low-calorie diet and continuously keep a food diary. Besides self-monitoring, the mentor can also use the food diary to monitor the dieter's weight loss progress. The food diary is a crucial resource for the mentor in observing weight changes. Some dieters, when first starting a low-calorie diet, may misunderstand the serving sizes of protein, fat, or carbohydrates. For example, they might mistake half a bowl of white rice for a full serving, leading to discrepancies in calorie intake and affecting their expected weight changes.

If weight does not decrease as expected, the reasons may include:

(1) The type of diet affects weight loss: When eating foods with the lowest sugar content, weight loss begins immediately, mainly due to the loss of sodium and water.

(2) As weight continues to decrease, the basal metabolic rate per unit of active tissue also decreases, resulting in a slower rate of weight loss.

(3) After weight loss, the calories required for activity also decrease, and the amount of activity decreases due to the reduced calorie intake.

(4) At the beginning, dieters strictly adhere to their diet, but over time, they may become lazy.

Instructors can use a calorie intake record form to make weight monitoring easier. This form primarily records: the calories needed, the calories reduced, and the calories actually consumed, from which the "actual calorie loss" can be calculated. The weight loss is then calculated from the "actual calorie loss" and compared to the actual weight. The discrepancy may be small and could be due to error, or large and could be due to one of the four reasons listed above, or other reasons, such as the dieter cheating and not recording in a food diary.