Diet and Nutrition

Too much

08/13/2008 12:21PM

Question:

Hi, I`m 22 and I eat cereal for almost every meal, I think I go through at least 4 boxes a week. I do eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, I don`t eat fried or high fat foods and work out at least 6 times a and I`m still gaining weight. Is cereal to blame for me gaining weight?

Answer:

Thank you for your question. Congratulations on eating a low fat diet filled with grains, fruits and vegetables, and for adding regular exercise to your routine. In order to lose weight, the general rule is to consume less calories than your body uses in a day. In order to keep your weight the same you need to use the calories you eat each day (calories in versus calories out). Based on the information provided its hard to say if you are consuming too many calories each day. Calorie formulas are based on height, weight, age, gender and activity level.
I don't know what kind of cereal, the size of box, or what kind or how much milk you consume with your cereal. If I go with 4 average-sized boxes of a non-sweetened cereal and 1/2 cup of skim milk per bowl you could be eating 6 - 8 servings of cereal and 3 -4 dairy servings a day for approximately 2000 calories (if its a low-calorie cereal it could be as little as 1400 calories a day, if its more of a granola cereal it could be as much as 2400 calories per day). This wouldn't include any of the calories from your fruits and vegetables, or whatever else you might be eating or drinking. Eating a balanced diet from each food group ensures that your body is getting all the nutrients it needs to stay strong and healthy. By eating cereal at the expense of other food groups you might be depriving your body of important nutrients it needs.
You also don't give details about your workouts. Are you doing the same workout each day? Are you concentrating on aerobic activities? resistance training? a combination of both? Varying the kind of activity, intensity and time will impact calories burned and your fitness level.
It might be helpful to contact a registered dietitian or check out the website MyPyramid.gov for some help with your calorie level and dietary variety. If you belong to a gym you might want to talk with a trainer on how to mix up your workouts to maximize your benefits. Good luck and keep up all the healthy changes!

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Response by:

Barbara Lattin, MS, RD, LD
Research Associate
College of Nursing
University of Cincinnati

Lisa Cicciarello Andrews, MEd, RD, LD
Adjunct Faculty
College of Nursing
University of Cincinnati