I’m somewhat thin, mainly because I’ve a very high metabolism, I never have to worry about what I eat, unlike some of my friends that would gain weight easily. It would appear that I eat a lot, but somehow manage to stay the same all these years, and I think there might be a good reason as to why I’m this way, but I’ve never given much thought. Most of the foods that I’ve been eating have very low calories content, mainly a lot of fruits and vegetables, and Tum Mak Houng (papaya salad, which is considered a negative food diet) is one of my favorites that I would eat almost everyday. Another thing that most of my friends seem to overlook is that I like to walk, and walking is a great way to burn your calories. Most American foods have high calories content, and if I have to eat like most of my American friends, I think I’d easily gain weight.
I came across an article in Kullastree, written in Thai language that gives a good guideline as to how many calories your body really needs, and it varies from person to person.
BMR, or basal metabolic rate, which is the calories that you body need, for supporting the ongoing metabolic work on a daily basis. If you want to know how much calories your body need, it’s very simple, there’s a simple calculation that you can do. If you are one that don’t exercise at all, or what some would call sedentary people, then take 13 multiplies by you weight, assuming you weight 120 lbs, then take 120×13=1,560, you shouldn’t consume more than 1,560 calories per day. If you are moderately active, which you might exercise 2-3 times a week, then take14 multiplies by your weight, and if you are active, then take 15 multiplies by your weight.
Now you know how many calories your body need, lastly you shouldn’t eat late at night because your body isn’t active enough to burn these calories, therefore can easily store as fat, also try to avoid sweet desert, or sweet fruits that have high calories content.
I know what you’re thinking, it’s easier said than done…if you don’t try, how would you know?
7 comments
Comments feed for this article
July 1, 2007 at 8:54 am
TheQuipster
I keep forgetting that you’re thin.
Carb is known to add weight but I’m not buying it. I am a carb lover and haven’t gain any weight. My metabolism is pretty high and I don’t worry about what I eat. But most often I don’t eat American fatty foods.
July 1, 2007 at 11:53 pm
Ginger
Yeah, it’s hard to judge what I look like by that red flower
I once heard from one of my American friends that carb is poisonous to her body, meaning that just thinking about it would make her gain weight, but I’m thinking that it’s all the cheese and other stuffs that’s making her gain weights, but you can’t tell her that because she knows her body.
July 9, 2007 at 7:32 am
Darly
Perhaps you can recommend wheat pasta instead of white pasta to your friends. Also instead of eating white bread, this person can opt for whole grain bread.
I eat mostly whole wheat bread. Even French bread over here come in the form of whole grain type. I also eat brown rice instead of white jasmine rice.
To top it off, you can even buy organic wheat bread, pasta, rice, and the list goes on. It is a bit more expensive but hey it is for your body.
July 9, 2007 at 1:04 pm
Ginger
I don’t think it’s a matter of not knowing what to eat, these ladies joined weight watcher in the past and know how to count points but I think it’s more of a discipline; made me think of the slogan in Lao, ‘Live to eat or eat to live’, and they’re living to eat, and me on the other hand only eat to live.
July 17, 2007 at 12:53 am
Gaining Weight
If you wish to calculate your caloric needs for weight gain, this is an interesting post: http://www.gainingweight.info/calculating-your-caloric-needs-for-weight-gain/
January 13, 2008 at 2:36 pm
Bob
Just a short summary from the medical research field on another angle to this blog:
“When considering all possible aging interventions evaluated to date, it is clear that calorie restriction (CR) remains the most robust. Studies in numerous species have demonstrated that reduction of calories 30-50% below ad libitum levels of a nutritious diet can increase lifespan, reduce the incidence and delay the onset of age-related diseases, improve stress resistance, and decelerate functional decline. A current major focus of this research area is whether this nutritional intervention is relevant to human aging. Evidence emerging from studies in rhesus monkeys suggests that their response to CR parallels that observed in rodents. To assess CR effects in humans, clinical trials have been initiated. However, even if results from these studies could eventually substantiate CR as an effective pro-longevity strategy for humans, the utility of this intervention would be hampered because of the degree and length of restriction required. As an alternative strategy, new research has focused on the development of ‘CR mimetics’. The objective of this strategy is to identify compounds that mimic CR effects by targeting metabolic and stress response pathways affected by CR, but without actually restricting caloric intake. For example, drugs that inhibit glycolysis (2-deoxyglucose), enhance insulin action (metformin), or affect stress signaling pathways (resveratrol), are being assessed as CR mimetics (CRM). Promising results have emerged from initial studies regarding physiological responses which resemble those observed in CR (e.g. reduced body temperature and plasma insulin) as well as protection against neurotoxicity (e.g. enhanced dopamine action and up-regulated neurotrophic factors). Ultimately, lifespan analyses in addition to expanded toxicity studies must be accomplished to fully assess the potential of any CRM. Nonetheless, this strategy clearly offers a very promising and expanding research endeavor.”
Could you imagine taking a pill instead of reducing what you actually eat? Which way is better?
Bob:)))
January 15, 2008 at 5:12 am
Ginger
Interesting find, since I like to eat I would prefer food to pill.