Fat - uses,myths and daily intake

Fat uses
  • A source of energy 
  • Energy store 
  • Essential fatty acids – Dietary fats that are essential for growth development and cell functions
  • Proper functioning of nerves and brain- 
  • Maintaining healthy skin and other tissues.  All our body cells need to contain some fats  as essential parts of cell membranes, 
  • Transporting fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K through the bloodstream to where they are needed
  • Forming steroid hormones needed to regulate many bodily processes

Facts about fat
  • Fats are filling, they can help curb overeating.
  • Health risks are higher when you tend to carry fat around abdomen rather than hips and thighs
  • Cutting calories is the key to weight loss and not a imbalanced low fat diet 
  • Fat intake depends on 
  1. The amount of fat as a percentage of required  calorie consumption ( how to calculate my calorie requirements )  and
  2. The mix of fats

General guidelines 
The key is to eat more good fats- monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats and less bad fats-Trans fats and saturated fats.  are bad for you because they raise your cholesterol and increase your risk for heart disease. 
  • Try to eliminate trans fats from your diet. 
  • Limit your intake of saturated fats 
  • Eat omega-3  fats every day
  • Keep total fat intake to 20-35% of calories ( How to calculate my calorie requirements )
  • Limit saturated fats to less than 10% of your calories (200 calories for a 2000 calorie diet)
  • Limit trans fats to 1% of calories (20 calories per day for a 2000 calorie diet)

What to consume
o    Eat less red meat (beef, pork, or lamb) and more fish and chicken
o    Go for lean cuts of meat, and stick to white meat, which has less saturated fat.
o    Bake, broil, or grill instead of frying.
o    Remove the skin from chicken and trim as much fat off of meat as possible before cooking.

GOOD FATS
Monounsaturated fat
Polyunsaturated fat
·       Olive oil
·       Canola oil
·       Sunflower oil
·       Peanut oil
·       Sesame oil
·       Avocados
·       Olives
·       Nuts (almonds, peanuts, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, pecans, cashews)
·       Peanut butter
·       Soybean oil
·       Corn oil
·       Safflower oil
·       Walnuts
·       Sunflower, sesame, and pumpkin seeds
·       Flaxseed
·       Fatty fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring, trout, sardines)
·       Soymilk
·       Tofu

BAD FATS
Saturated fat
Trans fat
o    High-fat cuts of meat (beef, lamb, pork)
o    Chicken with the skin
o    Whole-fat dairy products (milk and cream)
o    Butter
o    Cheese
o    Ice cream
o    Palm and coconut oil
o    Lard
o    Commercially-baked pastries, cookies, doughnuts, muffins, cakes, pizza dough
o    Packaged snack foods (crackers, microwave popcorn, chips)
o    Stick margarine
o    Vegetable shortening
o    Fried foods (French fries, fried chicken, chicken nuggets, breaded fish)
o    Candy bars
       
         Appearance-wise, saturated fats and Trans fats tend to be solid at room temperature (think of butter or traditional stick margarine), while monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats tend to be liquid (think of olive or corn oil).


References

  • http://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-eating/choosing-healthy-fats.htm
  • http://www.eatbalanced.com/why-eat-balanced/why-do-we-need-fat/

Tools to measure your body stats and calorie requirements

Calories calculator for various activities




BMR



BMI calculator

Category
BMI range – kg/m2
Very severely underweightless than 15
Severely underweightfrom 15.0 to 16.0
Underweightfrom 16.0 to 18.5
Normal (healthy weight)from 18.5 to 25
Overweightfrom 25 to 30
Obese Class I (Moderately obese)from 30 to 35
Obese Class II (Severely obese)from 35 to 40
Obese Class III (Very severely obese)over 40

Calorie requirements calculator

http://www.healthycalculators.com/calories-intake-requirement.php

http://www.healthycalculators.com/body-fat.php

IDEAL BODY WEIGHT CALCULATOR
http://www.healthycalculators.com/body-weight.php
http://www.caloriecount.com/tools/calories-goal
http://www.healthycalculators.com/weight-gain-calculator.php
http://www.healthycalculators.com/weight-loss-calculator.php

 http://www.prokerala.com/health/health-calculators/protein-calculator.php?utm_source=prokerala&utm_medium=nav&utm_campaign=sidecontent

 http://www.prokerala.com/health/health-calculators/weight-gain-calculator.php
http://www.weightrainer.net/gaincalc.html

http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/


Tamil diet plan for weight loss (1200 calories)

MENUAMOUNTCALORIES (KCAL)PROTEIN (GMS)
EARLY MORNING
Warm water with Lemon1 glass—–——
Tea(without sugar)1cup354
Marie biscuits256-
Total calories-91Protein – 4
BREAKFAST
Sprouts dosa2 small2005
Tomato + onion chutney1 cup / 50 gms200.5
Total calories-220Protein-5.5
OR
2 Egg White omlette with capsicum(2 egg white )1507
Brown Bread Slice2 no.1003
Total calories-250Protein-10
MID MORNING
Apple / Mixed fruit bowl1 med / 50- 60 gms40—
Green Tea (No Sugar)—-—-——
LUNCH
Vegetable brown rice pulav1/3 rd soup bowl (50 gms uncooked)2003
Cucumber and onion raita1 small bowl753.5
Mix veg salad1 bowl302
Total calories-305Proteins-8.5
 OR
Ragi balls (kaali),3 medium size2006
Vendakkai Poriyal (lady finger veg)1 med bowl482
Keerai thandu Sambar1 med bowl753
Salad1 med bowl302
Total calories – 353Proteins – 13.5
10 minutes,walk post lunch + 1 cup warm water with lemon / Green tea (no sugar)
EVENING
Green tea / Coffee (without sugar)1 cup352
Pachai payaru sundal
(sprouted green gram)		1 bowl704
Total calories-105Protein-6
DINNER
Samai Khichadi (fox tail / little millet khichadi)1 soup bowl2557
Thayir pachadi1 med bowl701.5
Salad1 medium bowl302
Total calories-335Proteins-10.5
10 minutes,walk post lunch + 1 cup warm water with lemon / Green tea (no sugar)
BED TIME
Milk1 cup752
Soaked almonds4 no.203
Total calories – 95Total Proteins – 5
TOTALTotal calories=1191Total protein=45
This 1200 calorie Tamil diet plan for weight loss will help you lose 3-4 kgs weight in a month. This Tamil diet plan for weight loss is best to be followed along with a 45 minutes workout schedule. You can choose on walking, swimming, skating, or any other workout. Please note that the above mentioned Tamil diet plan for weight loss is for reference only.

http://isanjay.in/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/calorie-sheet1.jpg
http://www.dietburrp.com/

Essential medical tests for women



Below is a table for the list of essential medical tests for women at various points of life

Ophthalmology
A basic eye exam by age 40 and then every two years until 65.
Dental tests
Twice-a-year teeth cleanings and checkups should begin six months after your baby teeth   appear and continue for life.
Clinical breast  Examination
This must be done every 1 to 3 years.
After 40  A yearly examination by a qualified and trained medical personnel is a must.
Mammography
Annual Mammography From 40 to 50 years of age, yearly mammography is recommended. After 50 years of age, mammography may be done every 2 years.


Pap Smear
The American Cancer Society (ACS) recommends that the Pap test be done annually until age 30.
After 30, if a healthy woman has had three completely normal Pap tests in a row, she can have a Pap test every  three years


Lipid
After a baseline screening for cholesterol levels in your 20s, get one at least every five years. From age 40 up, get your cholesterol and blood sugar (to check for diabetes) tested every year because heart attack and diabetes risks rise as you age.
Bone density
Have your first DXA (dual-energy X-ray) test at age 65 and another every five years thereafter. Women can lose up to 30 percent of their bone mass in the five to seven years following menopause. Get tested at menopause if you weigh less than 127 pounds, have ever smoked, have a history of nontraumatic fractures as an adult, or have a family history of osteoporosis.





Colonoscopy
Doctors suggest you have your first colonoscopy at age 50. If a parent or sibling was diagnosed with colorectal cancer or polyps before 50, you are at higher risk and should get your first test 10 years before they were diagnosed and repeat it at least every five years. If no problems are found and you have no family history, testing can be limited to once every 10 yea

·         Colorectal health testing -- Get screened starting at age 50 with either fecal occult blood testing, sigmoidoscopy, or colonoscopy.


Thyroid profile
Deficiency of the thyroid gland that strikes about 10% of women


Diabetes mellitus


People who are obese or who have high cholesterol, hypertension, frequent thirst, frequent urination, fatigue, blurry vision, or a family history of diabetes.




References
  • https://www.caring.com/articles/15-medical-tests-every-woman-should-have?page=2
  • http://www.breastcancerindia.net/screening/guidelines.html
  • http://blog.healthtap.com/2011/05/national-womens-health-week-10-medical-tests-for-women/