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nutrition - weight loss

Weight loss is a national obsession. 25% of the total population is dieting, and 56% of all women aged 25 to 34 years are dieting to lose weight. Most of the “diet industry cures” share one common rationale: to lose weight one must reduce food consumption dramatically, and starve or rely on a magic pill or drink.

Our program recommends that you eat frequent, balanced meals rather than starving the fat off. Your genes do not determine the amount of fat that you carry. The amount of fat that you carry is determined by what you eat and by what activities you do. Your body has no internal reference for a fixed fat level, only for a habitual level.

When you remain at a particular level of fat for a year or two, the body develops cells, capillaries, nerves, enzymes, and hormones to support it. The body will vigorously defend your habitual fat level. This habitual fat level is called your fat point. The body monitors its fat point and will act to maintain it even if a single ounce is used for fuel.

Appetite suppression and calorie reduction will result in weight loss; however, you will lose lean body mass as well as fat. This form of dieting signals the body that it is starving, and thus the body attempts to maintain its fat point. Dieters who lose lean body mass will inevitably regain the lost weight in fat and end up back at their original weight fatter than when they started (yo-yo syndrome).

The yo-yo syndrome is very common with most of the “diet industry cures”. Remember, it is not just how many pounds you lose, but the kind of weight you lose that is important. To achieve permanent weight loss, you must follow a sound program of diet and exercise that emphasizes losing excess fat at a rate of 1 to 2 pounds per week (you can’t rush fat loss).

Equally important is maintaining the vital lean body mass that is an asset to your health, metabolism, calorie burning, etc. Eating frequent, balanced meals is the best way to reduce your fat point. Frequent and balanced meals help you regulate insulin secretion.

The objective of this program is to manage insulin levels by reducing carbohydrate consumption and slowing its conversion into blood sugar. When your blood sugar rises quickly, the pancreas will secrete insulin. Insulin is a storage hormone and will cause you to store fat and stop using fat as an energy source. Eating high glycemic foods has resulted in high blood sugar levels, high insulin levels, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, low antioxidant levels and significant weight gains.

Eating For Weight Loss

The first thing you need to do is to keep a “food journal” and record what you eat. You will learn a lot about nutrition and foods if you have the discipline to keep a food journal.

Secondly, you need to ascertain your caloric requirement for your ideal body weight and the corresponding amounts of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats based upon the “Zone” 40/30/30 split.

Consume five to six meals daily. Even if you eat right, consuming your nutrients in three meals or less may lead to increased fat synthesis. If you eat five or six meals a day you will increase your metabolism, decrease your transit time, process food faster and more efficiently, and you will store less fat.

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner should be basic, well balanced meals, conforming to the above ratios of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Consume “Meal Substitutes” as needed for your additional meals. Drink water often. Drinking additional water will increase your metabolism; it will promote elimination, it will allow for optimum absorption of nutrients, and it will help suppress your appetite.

You can eat less by enhancing satiety. If you consume more soluble fiber like oat bran, kidney beans or oatmeal, you will diminish your appetite. Likewise, if you eat more high-bulk foods such as cabbage, lettuce, celery, zucchini, tomatoes and melons you will tend to eat less and be less hungry.

Portion Size (Balance)

In his book Mastering The Zone, Barry Sears, Ph.D., recommends the following guidelines to help you determine portion size. 

Summary

1. Keep a food journal and record what you eat.
2. To achieve permanent weight loss, do not lose more than one or two pounds per week.
3. Eat frequent, balanced meals.
4. Manage insulin levels by reducing high glycemic carbohydrate consumption.
5. Eat less by enhancing satiety by consuming more soluble fiber.
6. Learn the simple balanced portion size method above and use it devoutly.
7. Use the supplement guide below:
   

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