Healing Naturally through Alternative Medicine
Weight Loss - In 6 Easy Steps!!!
Q: I need to lose about 35 pounds and I’ve had friends that have good success with low carb diets, but I have high cholesterol so that isn’t an option for me. What kind of diet would you suggest for me to lose weight?
A: First off, there is no one right diet that would work for even half of the population. Each of us has our own unique biochemistry, so what worked for your friend may not work for you. Therefore diet plans should be customized to meet your individual needs.
With that said, the low-carb diets certainly do help people lose weight. Research studies over the past several years have revealed surprising results from the Atkins or South Beach type of diets that are low in carbs and higher in fat and/or protein. In the case of such diets, it seems that the protein and fat help curb hunger so that you eat fewer calories overall, thereby leading to weight loss. People are much more satiated on these diets vs. low fat diets, so they are also more sustainable. Surprisingly, many people see an improvement in their cholesterol and triglyceride numbers on the low carb diets, even when eating high-fat and high-protein amounts as with Atkins. So even though you have high cholesterol, something like the Atkins diet can work in the short term.
One of the reasons these diets are so popular is that they are so radical, requiring drastic changes to the way you eat, which is why people who like to go ‘cold-turkey’ do well with these. However, even with all of the positive research that exists, I’m not a fan of low carb diets for long-term use. The longest research study spanned 1 year, so there are questions as to its effect on bones, kidneys and intestinal health as time goes on.
For the long term, I recommend a diet with a more balanced approach. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition recently published a research a paper which studied a ‘high-protein’ diet made up of 30% of calories from protein and about 50% of calories coming from carbohydrates. Participants in the study reported greater satisfaction, less hunger, and weight loss and ate some 441 fewer calories a day when following this variety of high-protein diet. This approach is close to the Mediterranean diet as well as the ‘Zone’ diet, and the lesson to take from these is to make sure you have balanced meals with protein at each meal.
But don't forget about the power of making simple changes such as getting rid of all processed food. Processed foods are typically those high-carbohydrate foods that can increase weight gain. If you see the words ‘hydrogenated’ or ‘high-fructose corn syrup’ on any food labels, don’t use them. The former has been linked to vascular disease, and high amounts of fructose are clearly implicated in obesity and causing fatty liver.
Move towards a whole foods diet by eating whole grains, vegetables, nuts, seeds, fish, poultry, lean meats, and some fruit. Trade in diet soda for green tea. Make sure you have adequate protein at each meal, which can help balance blood sugar levels and prevent roller coaster sugar cravings. Eating a nourishing breakfast has been shown to reduce cravings during the day and assist with weight loss.
Here are some critical key points that go for anyone trying to lose weight:
1) Have an exercise routine. It doesn’t have to be an hour or even 45 minutes at the gym: just take brisk walks at least every other day. Our bodies are designed for physical activity, and regular exercise is imperative to lose weight and to keep it off.
2) Eat your vegetables. They're low in sugars and offer a plethora of beneficial phytochemicals for good health. Focus on cabbages, onions, garlic, broccoli, carrots, and celery.
3) Eat whole foods. Whole grains such as rice, millet, quinoa. Raw almonds, walnuts, cashews. Fresh vegetables and fruits. Fish, lean poultry and meats.
4) Minimize nighttime desserts. Those late night sugary foods are easily converted to adipose tissue, i.e. fat. (If necessary, you can take a brisk walk after dessert to help burn those simple sugars.)
5) Don’t feel deprived. This one may be hard when not having dessert at night, but it is important to substitute healthy choices for unhealthy ones. If you really need some chocolate, get some 80% organic dark chocolate.
6) Be patient. Research shows that quick weight loss most often leads to quick weight gain down the road. The slower you lose, the longer you lose.
A: First off, there is no one right diet that would work for even half of the population. Each of us has our own unique biochemistry, so what worked for your friend may not work for you. Therefore diet plans should be customized to meet your individual needs.
With that said, the low-carb diets certainly do help people lose weight. Research studies over the past several years have revealed surprising results from the Atkins or South Beach type of diets that are low in carbs and higher in fat and/or protein. In the case of such diets, it seems that the protein and fat help curb hunger so that you eat fewer calories overall, thereby leading to weight loss. People are much more satiated on these diets vs. low fat diets, so they are also more sustainable. Surprisingly, many people see an improvement in their cholesterol and triglyceride numbers on the low carb diets, even when eating high-fat and high-protein amounts as with Atkins. So even though you have high cholesterol, something like the Atkins diet can work in the short term.
One of the reasons these diets are so popular is that they are so radical, requiring drastic changes to the way you eat, which is why people who like to go ‘cold-turkey’ do well with these. However, even with all of the positive research that exists, I’m not a fan of low carb diets for long-term use. The longest research study spanned 1 year, so there are questions as to its effect on bones, kidneys and intestinal health as time goes on.
For the long term, I recommend a diet with a more balanced approach. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition recently published a research a paper which studied a ‘high-protein’ diet made up of 30% of calories from protein and about 50% of calories coming from carbohydrates. Participants in the study reported greater satisfaction, less hunger, and weight loss and ate some 441 fewer calories a day when following this variety of high-protein diet. This approach is close to the Mediterranean diet as well as the ‘Zone’ diet, and the lesson to take from these is to make sure you have balanced meals with protein at each meal.
But don't forget about the power of making simple changes such as getting rid of all processed food. Processed foods are typically those high-carbohydrate foods that can increase weight gain. If you see the words ‘hydrogenated’ or ‘high-fructose corn syrup’ on any food labels, don’t use them. The former has been linked to vascular disease, and high amounts of fructose are clearly implicated in obesity and causing fatty liver.
Move towards a whole foods diet by eating whole grains, vegetables, nuts, seeds, fish, poultry, lean meats, and some fruit. Trade in diet soda for green tea. Make sure you have adequate protein at each meal, which can help balance blood sugar levels and prevent roller coaster sugar cravings. Eating a nourishing breakfast has been shown to reduce cravings during the day and assist with weight loss.
Here are some critical key points that go for anyone trying to lose weight:
1) Have an exercise routine. It doesn’t have to be an hour or even 45 minutes at the gym: just take brisk walks at least every other day. Our bodies are designed for physical activity, and regular exercise is imperative to lose weight and to keep it off.
2) Eat your vegetables. They're low in sugars and offer a plethora of beneficial phytochemicals for good health. Focus on cabbages, onions, garlic, broccoli, carrots, and celery.
3) Eat whole foods. Whole grains such as rice, millet, quinoa. Raw almonds, walnuts, cashews. Fresh vegetables and fruits. Fish, lean poultry and meats.
4) Minimize nighttime desserts. Those late night sugary foods are easily converted to adipose tissue, i.e. fat. (If necessary, you can take a brisk walk after dessert to help burn those simple sugars.)
5) Don’t feel deprived. This one may be hard when not having dessert at night, but it is important to substitute healthy choices for unhealthy ones. If you really need some chocolate, get some 80% organic dark chocolate.
6) Be patient. Research shows that quick weight loss most often leads to quick weight gain down the road. The slower you lose, the longer you lose.
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