When someone visits a nutritionist with the desire of decreasing body weight - that is, decreasing body fat mass -, always asks what foods can and cannot eat. Questions are rarely asked about how much you can eat . However, the amount of food that we eat is as important as the type of foods we should favor to reduce body fat. The amount of food may even be what is separating the actual weight/body composition from the intended goal. Weighing food can help Of course, the more variables that are controlled, the less likely an error is. It is not necessary to weigh all the foods to make sure you are following the recommended diet. There are even situations, like going to a restaurant, where it could be a little tricky. Weighing food is a tool that should help us to adhere to a diet and not to reduce quality of life and contribute to a troubled relationship with meals and social moments where food is present. It is not necessary to always weigh all foods . But there are foods for which it is more difficult to be sure about the proper amount. These most critical foods should be weighed whenever possible. Bread Bread is one of these critical foods because its size is not always related to its weight . A small bread can be lightly dense and weigh 50 g, and another, slightly larger, can easily reach more than twice that weight. So, weighing the bread can really be a valuable help. Choose a high quality bread; Weigh and cut it into the individual doses suitable for you; Freeze it and remove from freezer as needed. Olive oil Olive oil is another critical food. Although it is the best source of dietary fat, it is still a fat and, therefore, it is very caloric . If 3 or 4 tablespoons of olive oil or a “generous dip of olive oil” are added to a fish dish of those who ask for oil generously, it is likely that the olive oil alone represents more energy than the rest of the meal. The meal is, without a doubt, healthy, but to lose weight, quality is not enough, and fats are weak “flags” of satiety. Remember It is not necessary to weigh all the foods in a diet, but the amount of food is just as important as the type of food . The kitchen scale is a valuable aid especially for foods: Which weight is not always directly related to size / volume; That have a high caloric concentration and must be ingested in small amounts, which are easily exceeded inadvertently. With practice you would not need to use the kitchen scales so much. Author : Rita Ferreira da Silva Meet the nutrition team from Hospital da Luz network. The content published in the Health Guide is intended for the general public and is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It does not replace individual medical assessment, diagnosis, or personalized clinical advice from a qualified healthcare professional. The content is produced or reviewed by physicians and other healthcare professionals at Hospital da Luz and is based on the knowledge available at the time of publication or the most recent update, as indicated at the beginning of each item.
