Recently my 'other half' has had to address the issue of weight gain. Generally as a family we eat healthy food but over time and with more meals out, the kilos have been creeping on. It was time to do something but the key was to change the way we were eating rather than going on a diet as such.

As you may well all know, Australia (and most other western countries) are experiencing an obesity epidemic. An April 2008 report for Australians told us that:

70% of men aged 45-65 year are overweight or obese

50% of women aged 45-65yrs are overweight or obese.

The figures are just as bad for our children with a 2006 report telling us that 1 in 7 of our preschoolers were estimated to be overweight and 1 in 8 obese!

However, it is important to know that these statistics are based on BMI (Body mass index) a measurement based on weight and height, which does not reflect how much actual excess body fat, as opposed to muscle, a person might be carrying. Not 'one size fits all', in this respect as a person's weight on the scales does not give a true indication of excess body fat.

Outlined here some basic tips on how to address those excess BODY FAT kilos, whilst maintaining muscle mass. Remember body fat loss is your ultimate goal whereas traditional 'weight loss' diets focus on weight loss and not body fat loss. Try our tips on body fat loss below to achieve effective body fat loss whilst still keeping your metabolism up.

• High carbohydrate diets cause obesity and create many other health problems (see reasons below).

• It is important to limit your starchy carbohydrates to no more than two small serves per day.

• Replace your current grain foods i.e. pasta, bread, rice, with VEGETABLES specifically dark green and coloured vegetables.

• To prevent blood sugar spikes and the consequent production of Insulin (a body fat loss inhibitor) include a small amount of protein (the size of your palm) with each meal, 3 times per day. In addition have a small serve of protein for snacks (1/2 size of your palm) in between each meal - 3 times per day.

• Limit fruit to 2 serves per day - avoid Bananas.

• Absolutely no sugar, sweeteners, fructose or fruit juices of any kind. Beware of sugars in pre-prepared foods. They are pure carbohydrate and will affect both blood sugar and body fat loss. Remember, when sugar is being released into the blood stream (from refined carbohydrates or sugars) for fuel you are not burning fat.

Role of Exercise

• Undertake moderate (not strenuous) regular daily exercise. A combination of aerobic (fast walking) and resistance exercise has proven to be best for fat loss. Exercise first thing in the morning before eating.

• Do not consume sports drinks during exercise - water only. L-Carnitine - 2 gms - 20 mins before exercise encourages your body to use body fat as fuel.

• Another tip is to build up consumption of 3 tablespoons of cold pressed, extra virgin coconut oil per day. Apart from many other health benefits this will increase your metabolism and speed fat loss.

Sample Diet for Fat Loss:

Breakfast : Smoothie of whey Protein, LSA (Linseed, Sunflower, Almond) and berries. OR Eggs (boiled, scrambled, omelette, dry fried) with mushrooms and spinach.
Lunch: Salmon/Tuna with a large green or garden salad. Dressing of coconut oil and apple cider vinegar.
Dinner: Stir fry with coconut oil - large serve of mixed vegetables and organic chicken or beef
Snacks (3): Hard boiled egg, Handful of almonds, 3 small cubes of hard cheddar cheese, Protein shake.

RESEARCH:  Protein in weight management and how it affects body composition and metabolism

Although current thinking suggests that low calorie diets reduce body weight there is more to this than meets the eye. Previous thought was that this was all there was to it: reduce the calories, and bingo! weight loss. We were advised that as long as the energy value of food was reduced, it was irrelevant about whether those calories come from fats, carbohydrates or protein.

Wrong! it does matter. Traditionally it has been thought that a low fat, high carbohydrate diet is better for weight loss and better for health. However it is now coming to light that this recommendation has unwittingly played a role in the current epidemic of obesity, leadint to lipid abnormalities (high cholesterol levels) and metabolic syndromes (fat around the middle, high blood pressure, insulin resistance) because of an over consumption of starchy carbohydrates.

Researchers have found that high carbohydrates intake, such as in bread, potatoes, pasta, rice and sugars results in elevated insulin levels, which in turn promotes storage of body fat (especially around the middle). This in turn leads to other health consequences such as high cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Worse, it has been found that high insulin levels (due to high consumption of carbohydrates) may even increase body fat without giving you more energy.

Another problem is that carbohydrates don't leave you feeling satisfied but with the craving for more.

In contrast, a growing body of evidence and recent clinical trials suggests that an increased protein to carbohydrate ratio may not only lead to significant weight loss, but also improved body composition and less weight regain after weight loss. These effects are due to increased fullness, increased metabolism (increased thermogenesis), decreased muscle loss, improved glucose balance and insulin resistance and improved lipid profile.

How Do Protein Foods Help You Lose Weight?

• Proteins reduce your appetite and so if you are eating high protein foods you will produce ketonic cells which are a natural appetite suppressant. By suppressing the hunger feeling you will eat less and this will obviously help to lose weight. After just two or three days on a protein only diet, your hunger should diminish and you can then follow a diet much easier without the constant threat of hunger.

• Because of the complex structure of proteins the body will work harder to digest them than with most other foods, therefore burning more kilojoules.

• Proteins are also reasonably low in kilojoules compared with fats and carbohydrates.

So the trick to losing weight is not to go on a diet as such but to add more protein to each meal and cut out or down on the carbohydrates, especially the processed ones.

OPTIMAL DIGESTIVE HEALTH DIET

These tips with recipe plans and more details are set out in an easy to understand format in the Gut Matters OPTIMAL DIGESTIVE HEALTH PLAN.

This comprehensive 21 page document includes 3 levels of dietary plans for digestive 'good' health . This nutritionally sound dietary plan can improve many digestive conditions from the simple to the serious. These include: Acid reflux, bloating & flatulence, Chronic diarrhoea, IBS, Crohns and Ulcerative Colitis, Gluten intolerance and Coeliacs disease as well as benefiting behavioral and neurological conditions such as Autism and ADHD, allergies and intolerances.

The 3 levels cater for differing severity of symptoms/conditions. The dietary sheet includes instructions for the 'Specific Carbohydrate diet' ( which we endorse), extensive menus and easy recipes as well as enough background information to give you understanding about what is happening in your gut around food.

A full list of our current HOW TO guides are also given by clicking through to 'Fastest way to find permanent Gut relief'. If you would like to see a particular guide for a health condition that we have not covered at the present time, please let us know and we will endeavour to provide it in the near future.
 

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