Body fat

Q: How can I keep my body fat in check?

A: It’s easy, if you stick to a plan. Here goes —

• Eat a diet low in fat and cholesterol
• Eat a high-fibre diet. Add more whole grains, fruits and vegetables, instead of protein, fats, and sugar
• Restrict, or avoid, salt [sodium] Choose sugar substitutes instead of sugar
• Don’t miss, or skip, meals
• Avoid sweets, and “yo-yo” diets, or crash dieting
• Do aerobics, or yoga. Better, if you combine them with strength training. This will help you maintain, or gain, muscle mass and tone. Remember — if you don’t do exercise regularly, you lose about a kilogram of muscle each year
• Incorporate at least 20 minutes of moderate-to-intense exercise, 4-5 days a week. Enhance the duration, if you wish to lose weight.