pop belly?

Question
hi Evelyn,

Right i have a problem.  I'm 21 years old and developed a belly and its shameful, since i was the most skinniest guy about 5 years ago.  Ever since i started university, my drinking habits (cider) reflected on my stomach.  But, i have stopped the drinks for almost 1 year now, but the belly just keeps on increasing.  I eat alot, and lots of take away from restaurants mainly, not like macdonalds etc.  So maybe i need to eat the right foods? but what to choose from the menu? also, i think i eat too quickly, i've delveloped this habit of eating fast, maybe thats another problem, because the food doesn't digest well? I've just started to attend the gym too so i can work on my stomach! i really need your help!

thank you

rach

Answer
Dear Rach,

You are giving all the right answers yourself. Who needs an expert?! By your own accounts you are not choosing the right foods and eating too much, too fast. The faster you eat the less satiated you will feel, plus, indeed, you are straining your digestive system, but also missing out on nutrients (since digestion actually already starts in the mouth, where not only saliva begins to release nutrients but also where  some nutrients are absorbed instead of in the gut). Chewing is really important, teeth were not just handed us for a beaming smile. And my guess is you also know where the calories are in (fat/sugar, large portions).
Most restaurants still use too much of what you don't want in their recipes (polysaturated fats, sugar and salt e.g) and seldom give you wholemeal foods (which fill you up properly with fewer calories) - simply because their average customers are not used to complex flavours. Choosing salads and fruitcocktails (from restaurants instead of making them yourself) seldom helps you out, unless you make sure there are not "fatty" dressings or sugary sauces. Go easy on smoothies and shakes, however healthy they may seem: they are high on calories and are highly acidic without providing you with any roughage. Choose bread and other carbohydrates (pasta/rice etc) as a meal and not as a side dish. So a Club sandwich or a Mexican tortilla or one bowl of pasta with a (meat) sauce. Cheese is very fattening, so make sure you know where it is in (often tops too many things) - try not to eat two types of protein (mixing cheese and meat is really dreadful for your system). Choose boiled/steamed as alternatives to fried or roasted (e.g. eggs, potatoes, vegetables. Instead of a donut, better a bun). Have a quiche or something with a dough rather than mille feuille/puff pastry - but bread is better than dough, since all doughy things are full of fat. Peanutbutter is very fattening, a handful of hazlenuts is far, far healthier (totally incomparable product by the way. Peanut is not a nut).
Breakfast is vital, and muesli, bread & milk, porridge or a variation thereof is a good start (meaning grains and milk product). You probably have heard your mum or teachers or the government go on about 5 portions of fruit/veg a day, and trust me: they are right! So have that glass of OJ (or other citrus), but also a real piece of fruit (go easy on bananas - high on cals.) and depending on where you live or the season, try to have a salad DAILY and definitely a portion of (mixed, 1-3 types) veg (not including potatoes - go easy on them, too).All this might take getting used to, but pounds WILL fly off and you'll feel reborn, guaranteed.
Keep as further guidelines: not more than 3 eggs a week (realise where they are hiding, too.). Lean meats are fowl and prime cuts of beef. But I as a vegetarian, I am no expert on smart meat eating (there is usually too much fat used in preparation and sauces are saturated in one fat or another). Fish is great (but watch out for oily fish, mackrell, sardines, salmon, or tuna in oil etc).
Of course, afters/sweets are fat-magnets! (also bad for the digestive system after a meal): so cutting them out altogether will take off hundreds of calories for starters. The same for sugary drinks (watch out for the calories in milky/sweetened tea/coffee). Smaller portions are also crucial, and it will take discipline to shrink your stomach's content over the course of a few weeks. If you drink a glass of water 10 mins before meals, it can really help fill you up.
The gym, of course, sounds like an excellent idea, but also remember to walk whenever you can (instead of motorised transportation or an elevator). Depending on where you live, it might be an enterprising idea to check out a healthfood store: compare and discover what you miss from your regular diet and you will learn a lot about what is probably healthy (i.e the "odd" things you find there). A good, modern healthfood store will have really funky/quick foods, too. If you've got the cash (and by the sounds of it you do, or you could not afford eating from/in a restaurant every day!) then have an occasional take out from there. Not all of it is guaranteed fat/sugar free! So stay on the ball, do some homework by reading the backs of packets and soon you'll also recognise healthy meals in restaurants.
I trust you are a bright lad - you already sound self-critical, spotting your weight problem in time - and I think you will take dieting on as creative, problem-solving and fun project. Keep as your slogan: every day counts, every mouthful matters, and you'll be trim before you graduate.
Supportingly yours,
Evelyn.

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