Have you weighed yourself lately? Do you weigh as much as you weighed two years ago? The answer is probably no.  Most people gain weight gradually as they grow older. There are many reasons for this. As we grow older, our metabolism tends to slow down; hence the more we eat, the less we burn and the more we store as fat. Another cause of involuntary weight gain is decreased body activity. As a child, you spent almost three hours daily running in your school field, playing Kati and even climbing trees. In your teenage years, your high school’s compulsory cross-country runs and evening games kept you in shape. Unless you are a professional marathoner now, you are not as active as you were in your younger years.
At Penda we are committed to helping you prevent lifestyle diseases and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Today we teach you a few ways to keep your weight in check.

Eat filling foods for breakfast.

Filling foods are high in fiber and protein. When you have them for breakfast, you will feel less hungry throughout the day. Your desire to snack on mandazis in between meals will be abated. There are many filling foods that you can get cheaply at the market. Replace your morning bread with matoke. Throw in some boiled beans or a boiled egg for extra fullness. Other options to try are githeri and a slice of avocado to go. Not only will you enjoy your breakfast more, but you will also feel less hungry throughout the day.

Exercise regularly.

​Regular exercise helps you burn extra calories. When combined with good diet, exercise can help you trim excess body fat. If your work place is near where you live, skip matatus and take a walk every day. Try running on weekends. If you can access a gym or swimming pool, make use of those facilities regularly. Unfortunately, most of us only commit to an exercise routine when we are on leave then go back to our sedentary lifestyles once we resume work. Carve out half an hour of your day and dedicate this time to exercise. You will reap the benefits of such a routine in a few months. Apart from controlling your weight, regular exercise will improve your mood, help you relieve stress and keep lifestyle conditions in check.

Control your portions.

​There is no need of exercising for hours then overeating afterwards. Portion control is one of the best ways to keep your weight in check. The kind of work you do will determine the portions of the different food groups that you should eat. If you work in an office for example, you only need ugali the size of your fist at every meal time to be satisfied. If your work involves manual labor, then two fist sizes of ugali is enough. Increase the portion of Sukuma wiki and meat that you serve and reduce your portion of ugali to control your weight.

Limit junk food.

Junk food is high in sugar or fat and often low on fiber. Sugar is broken down in your body and stored as fat. When taken in excess, junk food will promote weight gain. This kind of food is also highly addictive. The added sugar and fat, raises your blood sugar very fast. When the sugar falls, your brain starts to crave more of the food and the cycle continues. This explains why once you have a serving of chipo mwitu, you always want to get another one. Gradually cut back on junk food by snacking on fruits like bananas, mangoes and oranges. There is literally a fruit vendor at every corner of Nairobi, so you have no excuse! :)

Plan your meals.

Meal planning ensures that you have a balanced diet at every meal. It also automatically limits your intake of junk food and saves you a lot of money. Start by writing down everything that you would like to eat during the week. Then allocate a different meal for each day. Next, list down all the ingredients that you will need then make a budget. Now it’s time to shop. If you have a fridge, pre-boil everything that needs to be boiled, e.g. beans, githeri, dengu, etc. and store them well. Plan your meals every Sunday and involve your whole family in the planning process. Not only will you save money, but you will also eat healthier foods.