Nutrition FAQs

How can I find a nutritionist?

You can find a registered nutritionist or dietitian by clicking on www.indi.ie or www.nutritionsociety.org

What's the best way to lose weight?

Weight gain is a result of energy imbalance - too many calories in and not enough calories out. The best way to lose weight is a combination of increased physical activity and decreased calorie intake. The easiest way to reduce your calorie intake is to watch your fat intake. Each gram of fat contains 9 calories compared to only 4 in protein or carbohydrate.

I feel really run down, could it be my diet?

If you are feeling run down it could be your diet. Keep a diary of what you eat for a week. Do you eat regular meals? Could you be missing out on important vitamins and minerals by not eating enough fruit and vegetables? How much 'junk food' are you eating?
Particularly for women, a diet low in iron can leave you feeling tired and lethargic. Try to eat red meat, fortified breakfast cereal, green leafy vegetables and pulses, like peas, beans and lentils, every week.

The healthy eating guidelines say to eat plenty of carbohydrate food, but won't that make me fat?

The popularity of the Atkin's diet meant that carbohydrates were getting a bad name there for a while. Carbohydrate foods can be sugary foods or starchy foods. Starchy foods like potatoes, rice, pasta and bread release energy slowly into the body and help keep you going for longer. Try to choose whole grain varieties for extra fibre to keep your digestive system healthy.

I'm trying to gain muscle to improve my strength for sport. Can you advise me on what to eat?

Lots of people think that eating loads of protein foods (like fish, eggs or meat) will help to build extra muscle. In reality, above a certain threshold of protein intake, the body can't make any more muscle. Since the protein content of the Irish diet is already high, a normal diet can provide all the protein you need for building muscle. All you need to do then is hard, constant, strength training.

I really don't like fruit and vegetables, what can I do to try to eat more?

Experts recommend that we all eat more at least five portions of fruit and vegetables each day to stay healthy and help prevent disease in the long term. The problem for some people is that they simply don't like fruit or vegetables. One alternative is to invest in a blender and make your own juices and smoothies. Vegetables can also be easier to eat if you chop them into soups, casseroles, pasta sauces and stews, so that they are hidden.

What is BMI?

BMI is short for body mass index. The a ratio of weight to height
Weight (kg)
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Height 2 (m)

A normal body weight is between 18.5 and 25.0, overweight is between 25 and 30 and obesity is defined as having a BMI over 30.