The NutriVital Guide to Weight-loss
Do you struggle with diets? Or have you been successful with diets, only to have difficulty keeping the pounds off?
The UK weight-loss market is worth hundreds of millions of pounds. Supermarket shelves are loaded with sugar-free/fat-free options, and bookstore shelves are stacked with countless weight-loss titles. The people selling in this market know we want to lose weight; and they know that in order for us to buy from them, they need to present a convincing suggestion that their method is unique and effective.
Commercial influences have caused the whole issue of losing weight to become very confusing and expensive. It needn’t be so. In order to lose weight, you must consume fewer calories than you expend (calorie deficit). That is to eat less, to exercise more; or both. But don’t stop reading yet – this is not the end of it.
One simple reason that dieting causes so much disappointment (or worse) is that your body does have certain nutritional requirements. Firstly, the food you eat must provide your body with the energy and nutrients that it needs in order to function. Failure to do so will be reflected in how you feel and look. Secondly, you must preserve – or increase – your lean body mass. The more muscle you carry, the more calories your body burns around the clock. Conversely, fat that you carry burns no calories. If you eat un-wholesome food or if you starve yourself, your body will react by eliminating the demanding tissues and preserving fat.
So our goal should really move away from dieting – perhaps even from weight-loss – and on to weight management. We are looking to make a difference that lasts. Integrating a few simple guideline rules into your daily habits will help you lose fat and maintain a healthy weight in the long-term; as well as leading you to a raft of other health benefits. What started as weight management soon becomes general health awareness and you will feel and see the difference.
Although this approach will make a significant difference for most people, many may find that they still struggle. There are good reasons why weight loss can be such a hard battle to win. At The Centre for Integrated Health, many of our clients with weight issues suffer because the root of the problem – which must be addressed in order to realise long-term results – lies elsewhere. For example: Mal-absorption can lead to an insatiable hunger; as can sleep troubles (due to changes in the levels of the hormones leptin and ghrelin). Hormonal imbalances can lead to sweet cravings. Nutrient deficiencies can lower metabolism. Food sensitivity can cause fluid and fat retention. Stress and emotional issues can affect eating habits. The list goes on.
The only real solution to challenges in weight control that stem from these kinds of problems is to correctly identify the precise underlying cause and tackle that. At The Centre for Integrated Health, our experienced practitioners use the Asyra health screening system to do just that. So if you struggle with your weight, we suggest that your first stop is our clinic for a health screening and MOT, and a personalised programme to tackle your challenge at its root. Just call 01730 233 414 to book an appointment.
In the meantime, to dispel some of the mysticism surrounding healthy eating, there follows our simple no-nonsense guide to healthy eating.
7 Dos and 7 Don’ts
Do…
• Eat smaller portions, more regularly
• Include protein in each meal (from lean meats, fish or nuts and seeds)
• Eat as much raw food as possible
• Eat colourful foods
• Incorporate daily exercise into your routine
• Drink plenty of water throughout the day
• Get enough quality sleep
Avoid…
• Dieting
• Sugars (in foods or drinks)
• Grains
• Eating more than 4 portions of fruit a day
• Alcohol
• Processed or packaged foods
• Animal fats
Eating
The general mindset is that if over the course of a day you aim to consume 1500 calories, you should get as much goodness out of those calories as possible, not only in terms of vitamins and minerals, but also the quality of energy of the calories. While making the wrong choices can easily see you eating way in excess of your caloric requirements and still having no energy (and possibly a raft of other health issues), making the right choices can leave you feeling fantastic while consuming fewer calories.
Google Glycemic Index (GI). Essentially, it is an index which indicates the energy release of any food. Lower GI means slower release energy. The GI Diets you will find are not necessary, but an awareness of what GI means and what how the foods you are eating rate should help you shift a little more weight and feel more satiated and energised throughout the day.
Eating more regularly will keep your metabolism and energy levels raised; and if you are sure to include a little of each macronutrient (protein, carbohydrate and healthy fat in moderation) in each meal, you will be providing your body with everything it needs.
Calorie density is also a useful thing to keep in mind. The lower the density of the calories in food you are eating, the more full you will feel on less calories. You can lower the density of calories in a meal by including more leafy vegetables, for example. Conversely, fatty meats are an example of a very calorie-dense option.
Simple rules that might help you with this include eating a higher proportion of raw foods (however, do not rely heavily on fruit); making your meals more colourful (greens and reds in particular); and not eating ready prepared foods.
Drinking
Sugary drinks are an extremely low quality source of calories; and the sugar does a lot of damage beyond weigh-gain. Smoothies do have health benefits but they are high calorie and high sugar content, so keep portions small and have a quick study of the label first.
Alcohol is not only an extremely high calorie and sugar liquid with no nutritional value, but as a toxin, it prevents your liver from metabolising fats. This means that most of the calories you consume after drinking will be stored as fat, and fat will not be burned as long as your liver is dealing with the alcohol.
Ideally, water should be drunk throughout the way. Also, investigate teas: black, green, white, fruit, herbal – it’s a world of healthy excitement. The health benefits of home juicing – of fruit and/or vegetables – are countless. For more information on juicing, visit www.nutrivital.co.uk/articles. You will find articles about the health benefits, recipes, and information on the masticating juicer that practitioners at The Centre for Integrated Health recommend.
Exercise
Increasing the amount of exercise you take increases the amount of calories you burn and keeps you healthier, happier and more physically and mentally able in the short- and long-term.
Starting an exercise programme needn’t be daunting. The main obstacle is in building it into your routine and habits. Before it has its home in your daily/weekly routine, each bout will feel very difficult. Once it has its place, you will look forward to it. The key is to start with a realistic plan that works for you – and then stick to it.
A good start for anyone may be to replace a regular bus or car journey with a walk or cycle. This can be expanded upon at a later time, or perhaps switched to a morning jog. Other options may include a swim a few times a week on the way to work; classes at a leisure centre or gym; gym sessions with instruction; or, with some guidance, you can structure a good home exercise routine.