Mylene, 33, submitted her eating routine to Insider's Nutrition Clinic, where qualified dietitians and registered nutritionists offer advice on readers' eating habits.
She told Insider her goals were to increase her energy, reduce bloating and gut issues, and lose fat. Mylene does 30 minutes of light to moderate exercise five days a week, she said.
Clarissa Lenherr, a registered nutritionist and gut-health specialist, told Insider that it's great that Mylene was keeping active but that she should also do some resistance training to help her lose fat and maintain muscle.
"Having more muscles can lead to a higher resting metabolic rate, which may support fat loss," she said.
From an energy perspective, Lenherr recommended Mylene check to make sure her vitamin D level was not low, as this could be an issue, especially in the darker months of the year. Keeping a food diary and logging when she feels bloated could also help Mylene work out her triggers, Lenherr said.
Eating more, particularly more carbs, could also boost Mylene's energy levels, dietitians have previously told Insider.
Protein powder can trigger digestive issues for some
For breakfast, Mylene makes a smoothie consisting of almond milk, protein powder, coffee, and half a banana, she said.
Lenherr said it's helpful to eat protein over the course of the day.
"Protein is important for supporting energy levels and can help keep us full and satisfied, which may reduce snacking and sugar cravings, both of which, when done in excess, can make fat loss harder," she said.
Lenherr recommended adding greens, blueberries, and chia seeds to the smoothie to boost the fiber content, but it's important to up fiber intake gradually, as doing so rapidly can sometimes trigger bloating.
"If her bloating is related to constipation, she may wish to increase her fiber intake to support increased frequency of bowel movements, which, in turn, can help reduce the bloating," she said. "Fiber helps keep us full and can contribute to weight loss."
Adding more fruits and vegetables to her smoothie would also provide Mylene with additional polyphenols to boost her gut health. Polyphenols act as antioxidants and fight free radicals linked to inflammatory conditions such as cancer.
Lenherr said it might also be worth trying different kinds of protein powders, such as a vegan one if she'd been using whey, as artificial sweeteners and whey could be a trigger for people with sensitive digestive systems. Look for ones free of artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohol, and emulsifiers.
Eat fiber at every meal
At lunchtime, Mylene eats two slices of gluten-free bread with some avocado, tuna, and flaked chiles.
To add fiber, Mylene could try a sprinkle of seeds or nuts, in addition to eating wholemeal bread, Lenherr said. Adding a side salad, such as leaves and peppers, would up the fiber and also provide more nutrients, she said.
Snack on high-fiber fruits such as kiwis
Mylene snacks on rice crackers with peanut butter in the afternoon. Lenherr recommended brown-rice cakes or oatcakes for more fiber.
From a fat-loss perspective, it's worth keeping an eye on portion sizes of energy-dense foods such as peanut butter, Lenherr said.
"Stick to one tablespoon as a snack, or she could swap this to a high-protein yogurt with berries to provide more protein," Lenherr said.
Adding high-fiber fruits such as kiwis to Mylene's diet could also help with gut health, Lenherr said.
Herbal teas can help with digestion
For dinner, Mylene eats a chicken breast with mushrooms and green beans, topped with some cheddar cheese.
This is a solid high-protein meal, but adding a carb source such as sweet potatoes or brown rice would provide more energy. Lenherr suggested Mylene sip on herbal teas, such as peppermint or ginger, as these could ease digestion.
Source: https://www.insider.com/eat-fiber-drink-tea-reduce-bloating-lose-fat-nutritionist-advice-2023-10
Vocabulary
1. eating routine = eating habit = diet = chế độ ăn
2. dieticians = chuyên gia về chế độ ăn uống
3. bloating and gut issues = các vấn đề về đầy hơi và đường ruột
4. lose fat = giảm mỡ
5. nutritionists = chuyên gia dinh dưỡng
6. keep active = duy trì vận động
7. resistance training = tập luyện tăng đề kháng
8. maintain muscle = duy trì cơ bắp
9. resting metabolic rate = tốc độ trao đổi chất trong khi nghỉ ngơi
10. support fat loss = hỗ trợ giảm cân
11. vitamin level = mức độ vitamin
12. work out triggers = tìm ra nguyên nhân
13. carbs = tinh bột
14. boost energy level = tăng cường mức năng lượng
15. snacking and sugar cravings = cảm giác thèm ăn vặt và đường
16. boost the fiber content = tăng hàm lượng chất xơ
17. trigger bloating = gây ra đầy hơi
18. constipation = táo bón
19. fiber intake = lượng xơ hấp thu
20. contribute to weight loss = đóng góp vào việc giảm cân
21. boost gut health = tăng cường sức khỏe đường ruột
22. antioxidants = chất chống oxi hóa
23. fight free radicals = chống lại các gốc tự do
24. inflammatory conditions = tình trạng viêm nhiễm
25. vegan = người ăn chay
26. sweeteners = chất làm ngọt
27. be a trigger for = là tác nhân gây ra
28. sensitive digestive systems = hệ tiêu hóa nhạy cảm
29. emulsifiers = chất nhũ hóa
30. gluten-free = không chứa Gluten
31. nutrients = chất dinh dưỡng
32. herbal teas = trà thảo mộc
33. ease digestion = hỗ trợ tiêu hóa
