Being Overweight

Most of us have struggled with losing weight at some point in our life. It is not easy. There is such a wide variety of sinfully delicious foods from all around the world merely just a phone call away! It’s just so easy to stop by at the local diner or drive through. Then it slowly settles in that we are in fact piling on the pounds. This is when we start practicing intense dieting routines without a thought about the nutritional needs of our body. When we restrict our diet we may be losing out on some of the most important nutrients that our body needs.

Sometimes you feel that you could eat salad and steamed chicken for as long as it is needed, whilst on other days you would give an arm or leg to feed that sugar craving of yours, and not with fruit! All that is going to work is a giant chocolate bar. Being overweight is an affliction that affects many and has serious effects on their lifestyle both physically and emotionally. Let’s take a look at what the phenomenon of being overweight is all about.

Being overweight or obese simply means that there is too much body fat on your frame. Your body is made up of fat, water, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, so if you have too much fat, especially around the waist area, then you are at a very high risk of health problems such as high blood pressure, high levels of blood cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease and even a stroke.

Obesity not only directly affects coronary heart disease but also contributes to other factors that further hasten the onset of heart disease. Obesity causes excessively raised levels of blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Being obese also reduces the ‘good cholesterol’ which is linked with a lower heart disease and stroke risk, so reducing this kind of cholesterol conversely tends to raise the risk of heart disease. Obesity also raises blood pressure levels and brings an increased risk of developing diabetes. Diabetes in turn worsens the factors that cause heart disease. Obesity is caused by consuming more calories than we use up by way of physical activity or in our normal daily life. Particularly if you consume too many calories or too many saturated fats, trans-fats and ‘bad’ cholesterol, your blood cholesterol levels will often rise way above what they should be.

How is body fat measured?

Body fat can be measured in a variety of ways but the measurement of body mass index (BMI) is the most commonly recommended way to estimate body fat.

As a general rule, a high-risk waistline is 35 inches or more for women, and 40 inches or more for men. The body mass index formula assesses the body weight of a person in relation to their height. It is a useful, indirect measure of body composition, because in most people it correlates highly with body fat. Weight in kilograms is divided by height in meters squared (kg/m2). Body mass index values less than 18.5 are considered underweight. Having a body mass index value that is greater than 25 and less than 30 means that one is overweight. When you have a body mass index value of more than 30, you are considered obese. However, having a body mass index value of more than 40 means that you fall into the ‘extreme obesity’ category!

Causes of Weight Gain

Considering our modern sedentary lifestyle, there is a wide variety of reasons that we may gain excess weight. It could be any one of the reasons mentioned below or a combination of several.

Dieting

Dieting can and does make you fat. As you reduce your food intake to lose weight, your body puts itself on ‘famine alert’. It gets the idea that food is scarce and slows down your metabolism to make the best of the small amount of food it is receiving. When we say we want to lose weight, what we really want to lose is fat. If we lose weight too quickly, almost 25 percent of that weight loss may be coming from water, muscle and lean tissue. The reason behind this is that the body is designed to hold on to fat, so the body concentrates on breaking down muscle and losing water in an effort to hold on to its fat.

If this is your game plan to lose weight, it will be unsuccessful. Once you lose weight rapidly and then go back to your regular diet, your body automatically begins to store a higher percentage of your intake as fat. This is because your body wants to stock up on fat reserves in case such a famine occurs again.

Dieting often involves cutting down the consumption of a particular kind of food or just overall consumption. This may close some of the avenues of essential nutrients that our body needs. This is why dietary supplements become even more important, because when your body lacks in nutrients, it may fooled into thinking its famine time and starts storing fat as a precaution. Therefore, supplements of the right kind can actually make losing weight much easier and faster. Not only do supplements keep your body healthy, they also help you lose weight faster, naturally.

Too much food and not enough exercise

If you eat more than you burn, you will put on weight. However, if the number of calories you consume is less than the calories being used by the activity and exercise, you will lose the excess weight. Based on
relatively recent research, we now know that the type of calories we consume is a crucial factor as well. In other words, we need to consider the type of calories we are consuming and whether they come from fat, carbohydrate or protein.

The type of food we eat

Research has shown that people who are overweight and those who are not can often eat about the same number of calories. The difference lies in the types of food they are eating. A popular theory is that too many fats will make you fat. This is true in principle as saturated fats are not very healthy. However, you should remember that some fats are crucial to your body, hence the name ‘essential’ fatty acids.
Following the same theory, some people go on low fat or no fat diets without considering that food that is low in fat or has no fat tends to be higher in sugar and salt in order to make it more palatable. This is what will make fat, as sugar and other fast releasing foods invariably encourage weight gain.
This is how it works. The speed at which such foods release blood sugar determines whether or not you will gain weight, because every time you eat, your body has a choice to either burn that food as energy or store it as fat. Higher insulin levels cause your body to change your food into fat and also prevents it from breaking down stored fat.

Nutritional deficiencies

Food can either be converted into fat or energy. When your body stores what you eat, you will probably put on weight, unless your body can use it for energy. Whether food is burned or stored is determined by a number of chemical reactions taking place in your body. These chemical reactions are activated by enzymes, which are dependent on vitamins and minerals. Therefore, it follows that if your body is suffering a deficiency of certain minerals and vitamins in even the smallest amounts, then you almost inevitably stand a far greater chance of gaining weight.

This is one of the major reasons that adding dietary supplements to your diet begins to make more sense. All the vitamins and minerals that the modern diet is particularly lacking in need to be made up by ingesting regular dietary supplements that can quickly and efficiently replace the nutrients that are missing. They act as fuel for helping the body burn fat and are also responsible for keeping people energized.
When the average person feels more energized, then exercising as a means of assisting weight loss also becomes that much easier. We may think we are eating well but this often means that we are eating what
we don’t need and not eating what we do need. Supplements eliminate that risk by giving your body that edge it needs.

Prescription Drugs

Sometimes, weight gain is linked to certain medications such as the contraceptive pill and steroids. Some antidepressants can also result in increased appetite and this can, of course, lead to weight gain too. While some prescription drugs are absolutely necessary, you can still fight the weight gain side effects by considering alternative dietary supplements that can help suppress a person’s appetite naturally.

Food Allergies

Sometimes having a food allergy could be an impediment to losing weight. The kinds of food allergies we are talking about do not involve one immediately breaking out into a rash after eating peanuts, etc.
Our immune system protects us from minor food allergies. A clue to this is when you start craving a kind of food that you eat quite frequently. If a food allergy does in fact exist, the food can become mildly addictive, and you actually feel compelled to eat it. Your body will react by storing away that food rather than using it for energy, in order to protect you. If you are eating too many of the foods that you are actually allergic to, you will certainly put on weight rapidly. You can now get yourself tested to establish if you have a certain allergy to a variety of foods.

Yeast Overgrowth

We all possess the yeast ‘candida’ in the gut. It is controlled by bacteria. When your immune system is not functioning at its best, the proportion of healthy bacteria is reduced, which causes the candida to grow out of control. The excess growth of candida can be due to the overuse of the contraceptive pill, steroids, and excessive use of antibiotics. The signs of yeast overgrowth include sugar cravings, cravings for wine, bread or cheese, chronic thrush, fatigue, feeling spacing out, getting drunk on a small amount of alcohol and feeling bloated.

Coach Ransy

Perhaps the biggest single paradox of human life is that oxygen – the giver of life to all creatures – is also our long term mortal enemy too!

While it is obviously essential, oxygen’s involvement in all of life’s processes lies at the very heart of the human aging process, as oxygen is the primary molecule involved in the production of free radicals.

And it is anti-oxidants that form the body’s front line defenses against free radical induced oxidative damage.

The power of anti-oxidants lies in the fact that they can safely interact with free radicals and halt the chain reaction that they instigate before vital molecules are damaged.

And the best new is that, although they might sound somewhat mysterious, the necessary anti-oxidants are relatively easily obtainable, as the three main ones are vitamin E, beta-carotene, and vitamin C.

Vitamin E: or alpha-tocopherol. A fat soluble vitamin present in nuts, seeds, vegetable and fish oils, whole grains (esp. wheat germ), fortified cereals, and apricots.

Vitamin C: or ascorbic acid is a water soluble vitamin present in citrus fruits and juices, green peppers, cabbage, spinach, broccoli, kale, cantaloupe, kiwi, and strawberries.

Beta-carotene: or Pro-vitamin A (retinol) is present in liver, egg yolk, milk, butter, spinach, carrots, squash, broccoli, yams, tomato, cantaloupe, peaches, and grains.

Now, as with all nutritional matters, the exact amount of this anti-oxidant
‘triad’ that an individual needs will vary one to another, but a good starting point would be to eat at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables every day.

That would certainly provide a healthy dose of all of anti-oxidants shown above, as well as a significant proportion of your required daily fiber as well.

You also might want to consider whether you should boost your levels of these vital anti-oxidants, as well as other vitamins and minerals, by using a good quality dietary supplement.

Certainly, doing so will ensure that you have sufficient levels of all the necessary vitamins and minerals on-board to stay in the best of health, as vitamin deficiency has been proven to be a major cause of many medical conditions.

For example, a leading study of mortality rates amongst elderly Californians found that regular male supplement users had a 22% lower risk of death when compared with non-users over a given time period. The figure for female users was even higher at a staggering 46%!

Similarly, it was proved that significant supplementation with vitamin C, in excess of 250 mg per day (far above the normally recommended daily dosage) reduced the risk of male mortality from cardio-vascular disease by 42% and lowered the risk of premature death by all causes by 35%.

So, it certainly appears that supplementation will help in your daily fightback against an environment that is, quite literally killing you!

Do, however, be aware that the quality of dietary supplements can vary quite considerably, so do not be tempted to buy the cheapest that you can find.

There is a reason for that low, low price!

Coach Ransy

Yuri Elkaim, BPHE, CK, RHN
www.myFitterU.com

Your metabolism is important in the weight loss equation because it represents 60-75% of your total caloric expenditure each and every day. Metabolism is proportional to your fat-free mass (ie. muscle), and after age 20 it decreases by about 2-3% per decade. In general, women tend to have a lower metabolism due to lower fat-free mass.

Your resting metabolism is the rate of energy expenditure that your body goes through at rest. It is the number of calories your body needs to survive if all you did was lie in bed.

For each 1% increase in body fatness, your metabolism decreases about 0.01 calories/minute. Thus, simply by having more fat on your body decreases your basal metabolic rate. Conversely, doing things that will burn fat and promote muscle development will increase your metabolism.

While this change may seem like no big deal, it is! This small difference can become much more meaningful if you progressively pack on weight. For example, a 5% increase in body fat at the same body weight results in a difference of 0.05 calories/minute, which is equal to 72 calories/day.

Since 3500 calories equals 1 lb of fat, in our example, it would take 48 days to add on one extra pound of fat (everything being equal). That might not seem like much but over the course of 1 year that would be an extra 7 lbs of fat just because of an initial 5% body fat difference. But it would actually be more than 7 lbs since your body fat would increase as you continued to pack on the weight.

METABOLISM IS ALSO INFLUENCED BY…

Fat-free mass is not the only factor influencing your metabolism. Since the early 1900s researchers have shown that prolonged dieting is associated with a significant decrease in metabolic rate (as much as 20% in some cases). For example, the famous Minnesota Starvation Experiment where caloric intake was restricted by 25% over the course of 24-weeks revealed that, per kg of bodyweight, metabolic rate is reduced on a semi-starved diet. The researchers also showed that T3 (one of the thyroid hormones) and sympathetic nervous system activity decreased as well.

The latter two findings are rather significant considering that thyroid is the master gland regulating your body’s metabolism. A decrease in its function makes it more difficult to lose weight. I have seen this in practice having worked with hundreds of men and women who suffer from an underactive thyroid who at the same time, have had a very tough time losing weight.

The sympathetic nervous system plays a pivotal role in the body’s ability to mobilize and burn fat. Since it stimulates the release of adrenaline from the adrenal glands, a hormone that breaks down fat, any interruption to its functioning will also impair fat burning.

What these “starvation” studies reveal is that during prolonged periods of low caloric intake, the energy production of the tissues decreases in an attempt to adapt to the lower caloric intake and reduce the rate of weight loss. It’s simply a survival mechanism. Obviously, this is an appropriate adaptation in periods of starvation, but it is counterproductive if your goal is to lose weight fast and for good.

IS YOUR METABOLISM DOOMED?

Your metabolism is also responsive to periods of over-feeding. In one dieting experiment, when the subjects were allowed a day of “free eating”, their metabolism was elevated on the following day. Further, in long-term (14-20 days) overfeeding to cause obesity, increases in metabolic rate have been recorded.

This would seem counter-intuitive. After all, if your metabolic rate increases wouldn’t it help you lose weight? In most cases, yes, but not if eating to a point of creating a dramatic positive energy balance.

In essence, during the dynamic phase of weight gain (going from a lower to higher weight), more calories are required per kg of body to maintain the weight gain than maintain normal body weight. This is obvious and it’s also one of the reasons why you may feel hungrier when you are more active.

DOES EXERCISE IMPROVE METABOLISM?

Studies have shown that trained individuals have a higher metabolic rate than untrained individuals – but only when they did high intensity workouts and consumed sufficient calories to maintain energy balance. This suggests that the higher metabolic rate in trained individuals is not due to chronic adaptations associated with training, but more to do with the acute energy flux associated with the most recent workouts and dietary choices.

There is no doubt that your metabolic rate is elevated following exercise. The questions relate to how much and how long it is elevated, and to what extent it contributes to total daily energy expenditure.

It may be said, in the long run, daily exercise is needed to maintain an elevated metabolism. However, it should be remembered that what you do today will potentially have a greater “short term” impact on your metabolism than your combined workout efforts over the past few years. Just another reason why working out at least every other day is imperative for maintaining an elevated metabolism and helping you lose weight and stay lean!

References:

Benedict, F. et al. (1919). Human Vitality and Efficiency Under Prolonged Restricted Diet. Washington, DC. The Carnegie Institute of Washington.

Keys, A. et al. (1950). The Biology of Human Starvation. Volume 1. Minneapolis: The University of Minnesota Press.

About the Author

Yuri Elkaim is a world-renowned fitness, nutrition, and weight loss expert. He is the creator Fitter U and Treadmill Trainer, author of Eating for Energy, and the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for men’s soccer program at the University of Toronto. His trademarked 12-week Fitter U iPod workout program has been helping thousands of people around the world get in shape and lose weight fast without the cost and inconvenience of hiring a trainer. Go to www.myFitterU.com now to get your FREE Fitter U workout and “How to Get Fit and Lose Weight Fast” report!

Summers are the best time to shed those extra pounds. The best way to lose weight is with a healthy diet regime. Your body does not need fat to protect it from the cold anymore, so, what better reason do you have to diet. Here is a list of low cal foods that makes you active, and physically fit. Nature’s bounty, gives us fruits and vegetables that suit the seasonal needs of our bodies.

Watermelon, cucumber, black berries, tomato, peppers, and fruits and vegetables of all colours and hues are great sources of nutrition. Tomatoes for example, have lower carbohydrate count and just 35 calories. They are a source of 20% vitamin A and 40% calcium supply that your body requires. They have high levels of lycopene, which is a strong antioxidant and helps reduce cancer risk. Tomato can be a part of interesting, tasty, and nutritious meals perfect for all ages than keep you energetic throughout the day. Peppers are also rich with vitamin C and boost your immune system.

You can never miss the colourful display of a wide range of berries at your local supermarket or as you take a walk through the woods. You can have a feast with recipes from these berries. The simplest one though would be to have them mixed with yogurt. Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries not only make for a colourful combination with yogurt but they also satisfy your sweet tooth without harming your weight loss efforts. They are rich in fibres, useful for lowering cholesterol. They are also a good source of ellagic acid, which acts as an antioxidant and helps deactivate some carcinogens. They are also useful in preventing urinary tract infections. Rather than cooking, put these fruit in the freezer and they make for a highly refreshing snack, so important for summer.

Yogurt taken plain or with fruits is very nutritious. Made from purified cultures, it has some active organisms, the probiotics, which boost immunity and keep your gastrointestinal tract healthy. Yogurt mixed with fruits and vegetables can make some unique and delicious dessert toppings, which are much better than ice creams. You may enjoy a low fat yogurt mixed with fresh berries for a summer smoothie. Cucumber mixed with Greek style yogurt and some other ingredients can make for a healthy and tasty chilled soup for hot summers.

Beans and legumes are a great family of tiny but highly fibrous, iron and protein rich content of your summer diet. Most of them, peas, lentils, black beans, butter beans, lima beans, are extremely nutritious, and are best eaten raw or mixed with other foods and salads to add that beautiful colour and taste.

This is for the mango lovers. It is the best fruit, rich in potassium, vitamin C, carotenoids, and bioflavonoids, which are powerful antioxidants to promote a stronger immune system. They have no cholesterol and contain lots of fibre to help contain your appetite.

Remember, plenty of water is a must in summer. Though it has no nutritional value, it plays a major role in stabilizing body functions like metabolism, digestion as well as cell functions. Keeping your body well hydrated having fruits like watermelon which have high water content are extremely important for a low cal summer diet.

Coach Ransy

Many people are unaware of what organic food really is. It seems that everywhere we go now, someone is promoting something that is “organic”. Are these foods worth your time and money?

It almost seems like some people are afraid of organic food. Could this be possible? Are people afraid that eating one morsel of organic food is going to somehow instantly initiate them into the organic food cult where you’re only allowed to wear sandals made from tree bark and deodorant is prohibited?

I swear I have had people say to me “Well, you can’t be that organic because you wear make-up and you don’t smell.”

What? That’s not what organic means at all! All it means is that the food or the product has been grown the way mother nature intended: without the use of chemicals, pesticides, herbicides and fungicides. In other words, naturally!

Are some people afraid of the price? Organic does not automatically mean “break the bank”. Many times when I compare the price of the organic food versus the conventional food, they are only a few cents different. In the case of the bag of organic carrots I bought today for my lunch, they were the exact same price as the conventional ones. Imagine that!

If anything about the word “organic” makes you want to jump and run the other way, be sure to read my previous blog post “Is there such a thing as Cheap Organic Food?”

It will help you understand exactly why organic food is all the rave these days and what you can do to make organic living easy, simple and not so scary!

Get started on your own fat loss and health goals right away with these Simple and Easy Healthy Meal Plans.

Stay up to date on the most current nutrition and health information here: The Best Diet Info.