Posts Tagged ‘weight loss’

Weight Management

Monday, September 5th, 2011

Factors influencing weight gain

There are many reasons why people gain weight, and often it is the result of a combination of factors. Factors leading to weight gain include: dieting (yes, really), too much food combined with not enough exercise, certain prescription medications, eating the wrong types of food and even food allergies. Underlying medical conditions can also make it difficult to manage your weight -– for example an underactive thyroid, gut problems like an overgrowth of yeast, or excessive stress.

Why diets don’t work

When you restrict your calorie intake, your body lowers its production of appetite-suppressing hormones, and increases it’s production of appetite-stimulating hormones. Your metabolism also slows down, to conserve energy, so when you go back to eating normally more food will be stored as fat. Not only does counting calories rarely help you lose weight and keep it off, it is time-consuming, difficult to do and it makes you miserable! So instead of worrying about calories, think about maximising the nutritional content of the food you eat.

Blood sugar balance: the cornerstone of weight management

Blood sugar concentration refers to the amount of glucose, or sugar in the blood. Keeping blood sugar levels constant is the cornerstone of a long-term weight management strategy. Blood sugar levels can fluctuate from being very high, such as after a meal, stimulant or a stressful episode, to being very low, say if you skipped a meal or didn’t eat for several hours. The hormone insulin works to keep blood sugar levels within the desired range. After a meal insulin stimulates the body cells to take up glucose for energy or storage. Stress, stimulants like coffee and tea and refined carbohydrates such as white bread and rice release glucose very quickly into the bloodstream, and as a result insulin can get a little out of control. While these foods lead to a sudden burst of energy, the effect is short-lived as the body will promptly release high levels of insulin to try to return blood sugar levels to within the desired range. This often results in blood sugar dipping too low, and subsequently energy levels crash, leading to cravings for sweet foods and stimulants, and thus begins a rollercoaster of energy highs and lows. When your blood sugar is out of balance, it affects many systems in your body – and can lead to cravings for sugary snacks and weight gain.

Nutrition for weight management

When it comes to weight loss, slow and steady really does win the race! Aim to lose 1-2lbs per week for long-term success. Crash diets can result in rapid weight loss – but it is mainly muscle and water weight, and generally causes rebound weight gain.

  • Follow a blood sugar balancing, or low GL diet, with small, regular meals and snacks to increase insulin sensitivity in cells, balance blood sugar and eliminate cravings.
  • Eating protein with each meal slows down the release of food from the stomach. Choose lean chicken and turkey, fish, eggs, yoghurt, cottage cheese, nuts and seeds.
  • Limit processed foods as they often contain hidden sugars. Check the labels – 4g of sugar equals 1 teaspoon. A Twix isn’t so appealing when you realise it has 7 teaspoons of sugar!
  • Focus on nutrient-dense, whole foods, like vegetables, whole grains and legumes. Stock up on tinned fish, beans, artichoke hearts etc, to add to fresh salad for a healthy packed lunch.
  • Remove empty calories like alcohol, sugar, refined carbohydrates (white bread and rice) that actually use up nutrients just to be digested!
  • Replace saturated fats found in red meat and full fat dairy products with essential fatty acids such as those found in oily fish, nuts, seeds, avocado and olive oil. These may help to prevent insulin resistance.
  • Thirst can be mistaken for hunger, so make sure you are drinking adequate water!
  • Fibre slows down the release of sugar into the bloodstream, makes you feel full quicker and helps restore appetite-signaling hormones. Choose complex carbohydrates such as whole grains (brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat, rye, oats) instead of refined carbohydrates such as white bread or white pasta. Vegetables and legumes are also a great sources of fibre.
  • Liver support: Supporting the liver is very important during weight loss. As weight is lost, toxins are released, which the liver is responsible for processing. Include cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, kale, brussel sprouts) and sulphur-rich foods (onions, garlic, eggs) to support your liver.

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    Lifestyle strategies for weight management

  • Put food away after eating, so you are less likely to keep picking. Brush your teeth as soon as you finish
  • Keep a food diary for a week – write down everything you eat and drink.
  • Avoid eating in front of the TV. Think about each mouthful, eat slowly, chew, taste, smell, savor, pause between mouthfuls. When your brain registers you are eating, it helps satiety to kick in, and as a result you eat less.
  • Identify and deal with triggers for eating (if you nibble while watching a movie, drink a glass of water instead)
  • Rest! Lack of sleep increases appetite-stimulating hormones and decreases appetite-seppresiing hormones, so you are more likely to overeat.
  • Get at least 20 minutes of aerobic exercise every day – remember ‘energy in, energy out’!
  • When eating with friends, identify the slowest eater at the table and be slower than them!

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