Nairobi News

There has always been a common saying that goes: “Being fat is hard, losing weight is hard – choose your hard.”

Automatically, many people tend to gravitate towards losing weight. Everyone has an ideal weight they like to see on the scale when they step on it.

They have an idea of how their clothes should look on their body and how they would like to feel when they are out and about because their body looks good – not hemming and hawing when they go upstairs or having sweat stains on the small of their back.

But it is not a walk in the park.

Losing weight comes with its share of personal struggles. The struggle to find the willpower to part with the money you have for a gym membership. The struggle to get to the gym.

The struggle to get on the treadmill or the elliptical to burn off some calories before hitting the gym floor and the toning machines for more workouts.

It’s hard, especially when you feel like you could be doing other things with that time, like lounging in front of the TV watching the latest movie release, hanging out with friends – or just lazing around to catch your breath. It is hard. Losing weight is hard – especially when you have food in the house while doing all the above.

But, did you know… you could eat your way to weight loss?  Yes, the irony of that statement isn’t lost on me, but it is quite possible.

According to Lilian Mutanu, a Nairobi-based nutrition and dietetics expert, losing weight is possible because it is “basically a diet” in addition to physical activity.

“I usually like to talk about the importance of choosing nutrient-dense foods. These are foods that  are going to provide your body with good amounts of nutrients and they  are going to be more than the energy – which is the calories – so these  foods are things like vegetables, whole grains, eggs and other foods  that would help you get the nourishment that you need without loading  you up with calories. A person should choose foods that have all the  macronutrients which is very important in weight loss because  consumption of carbohydrates, protein and fat sources – healthy and  adequate ones – will help in ensuring that there is an adequate and  continuous flow of energy. This will help to reduce the hunger cues that lead to overeating,” Mutanu began.

She warned that it is not advisable for a person trying to lose weight drastically to cut out a particular nutrient from their diet because the body has already become accustomed to it. Instead, she recommended slowly adjusting the portions consumed to ensure enough energy for all the organs in the body.

“Another principle a person should follow when losing weight through diet alone  is to minimise processed and refined foods. In Kenya, it was never our  thing to eat pasta, Weetabix and breakfast cereals, but modernisation  has taught us that it is cool and easier to prepare and eat such meals  than the traditional foods we used to eat. Most of us eat highly  processed and refined foods – which are calorie-laden and cause  nutritional deficiencies and weight gain.”

“But if you want to lose  weight, you have to accept that you have to reduce your intake of  processed foods, chips and fried chicken. People need to be careful  about how the food they eat is cooked. Reduce the overuse of foods  prepared with highly inflammatory oils, spices and so on. This is very  important because inflammation and high chronic inflammation are markers of weight gain or weight loss. You should consume foods that promote  anti-inflammatory aspects such as whole grains because they have the  phytonutrients, fruits and vegetables,” Mutanu explained.

Hydration and fluid intake also play a vital role in weight loss because they are important for core metabolic functions, and intake depends on a person’s body size and activity level. Intake is also determined by the amount of calories consumed in a day, such as drinking 2.1-2.5 litres of water for every 2200-2500 Kcal consumed daily. It is advisable to avoid sugary drinks such as fizzy drinks and processed juices, which are high in calories and set back the weight loss process. Instead, water without additives, electrolyte sips and natural remedies such as wheatgrass,  hibiscus and ginger tea without milk or sugar are highly recommended.

“Calorie deficits – not restriction – will also help you lose weight. However, it all comes down to how long your body can sustain the weight loss. Remember that the body has adaptive mechanisms such as hormonal adjustments to the calories you give it and it will go back to where it was. This is where most people usually experience weight loss plateaus with someone saying they were losing weight very well then they get to a point where they stop losing weight and they gain it instead. This is common because the adaptability of the body ensures that this happens by reducing the metabolic rate. It is important that if you are trying to reduce your calorie intake, you are not more than 500 calories below what you should be consuming to maintain a calorie deficit,” Mutanu added.

Proteins, legumes, fermented foods, vegetables and fruits promote weight loss if consumed in the expected amounts and not in excess, otherwise, they can reverse weight loss.

Examples of balanced, nutritious meals that are conducive to weight loss,  according to Mutanu, include two eggs, cocoa tea and washed or homemade bread and a banana for breakfast; traditional vegetables, ugali, avocado and meat for lunch; and ugali and omena for dinner.

It is also recommended that a person eats when the sun is out and stops at sunset to allow the body to utilise the calories consumed and regulate itself – breakfast between 7am and 9am for women for hormonal stabilisation and control, perhaps 11am to noon for men. They should also have an early dinner before 6pm, although this is not practical for most Kenyans because they are stuck in rush hour traffic,” said Mutanu.

She also encouraged intermittent fasting of two adequate meals between noon and  6pm rather than chronic starvation, which is not the best way to maintain normal body functions.

Ultimately, a person who wants to lose weight must be motivated to stick to their diet – especially if they don’t have the money or time to go to the gym.

“Be kind to yourself and set realistic weight loss goals. I know someone who gave birth at the same time as American musician Ciara, and because Ciara had lost weight so quickly, she wanted to lose weight and look like Ciara.  Ciara probably works with five nutritionists a day, body image consultants, physical wellness trainers and people who count every inch of her calories to ensure she’s only taking in enough to breastfeed and survive; with nothing to store. The rest of the body will burn. She is supposed to look a certain way for her job.

So people should lower their expectations and focus on healthy eating rather than the physical appearance people chase, however important it may be. Once we get that into our heads, whatever body shape we have is the starting point for getting to where we want to be. That way you don’t start to hate yourself or have body image issues. The same goes for people who go to gyms – the trainer may promise you a slim waist in three or four months, and because of the problems and impossibilities of life, it does not happen. Most of them quit the gym and healthy eating habits and go back because they feel discouraged and cheated. Nobody has cheated you because the body reacts differently. That is one thing we need to understand,” Mutanu said.

She also mentioned that accountability partners are vital to weight loss diets to help them keep track of their consistency and consumption and to celebrate the small wins to keep them on track with their goals.

‘Alaa’, a comment he made at a public meeting about knowing who wouldn’t be president, became a hit on social media and several edited videos used it as a sound effect to dramatise various situations.

Some quick-thinking Kenyans then created Alaa! Alaa! branded T-shirts for sale.

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