Health tips for weight loss

1.      Drink lots of water – aim for 7 to 8 glasses every day.  In addition to staying hydrated, research shows that drinking two glasses (8 ounces) of water before every meal, in combination with a reduction in portion size, can help you lose weight and keep it off for up to one year.

2.      Aim to sleep at least 7 hours every night.  Research has demonstrated that the hormones leptin and ghrelin, both of which affect feelings of fullness and hunger, are affected by how much or little you sleep.  Furthermore, good quality sleep allows your body to repair any cellular or systemic damage accrued throughout the day.

3.      Exercise at least 30 minutes, most days.  It goes without say that exercise helps stimulate your metabolism and helps create the caloric deficit necessary for weight loss.  The more lean body mass you have, the higher your metabolic rate tends to be.  To aid in the caloric deficit, decrease your portion sizes at every meal.  

4.      Give your metabolism a boost. Try supplementing with Xanthigen and/or l-arginine.  Xanthigen is a combination of brown seaweed and pomegranate seed oil extracts. Brown seaweed contains the compound fucoxanthin, which increases the rate at which the body metabolizes calories, and pomegranate seed oil contains punicic acids, which decreases the accumulation of liver fat.  Research has indicated that these two compounds are more effective in reducing weight in combination, rather than alone.  L-arginine is a semi-essential amino acid, meaning that the body can make it under some circumstances, but in other situations, you have to obtain it via your diet.  L-arginine is converted to nitric oxide, which helps increase blood flow via vasodilation, or the widening of blood vessels.

Top Foods for Cholesterol

1.     Spinach. full of lutein which helps protect against macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness. Research suggests that just a half cup of spinach daily also protects against heart attacks.

2.     Salmon. Research shows that certain types of fat actually protect against high cholesterol. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in salmon which help lower "bad" LDL cholesterol, raise "good" HDL cholesterol, and lower triglycerides. The American Heart Association recommends eating at least two servings of fish every week, preferably fatty fish, by far the richest sources of fish-oil omega-3s.

3.     Beans: Beans are rich in fiber and very high in cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber. By eating just a cup of any type of beans a day (kidney, navy, pinto, black, chickpea, or butter beans) you can lower cholesterol by as much as 10 percent in six weeks. Eat beans five or more times a week. The FDA and the National Cancer Institute recommend that adults get 25 to 30 g of fiber each day.

4.     Soy. Reducing saturated fat is the most important dietary change you can make to cut blood cholesterol. Used as a replacement for meat and cheese, soy foods help your heart by slashing the amount of saturated fat that you eat. The FDA recommends getting at least 25 grams of soy protein each day. Consuming 25 grams of soy protein daily lowers high cholesterol.

5.     Avocado. Avocados are an excellent source of monounsaturated fat. This is a type of fat that may actually help to raise levels of HDL while lowering levels of LDL. The American Heart Association recommends that you get up to 15 percent of your daily calories from monounsaturated fats like those contained in avocados.

Foods that burn more calories than they contain

Celery is not the only food that actually makes you burn more calories than it provides. There are a number of other delicious, yet healthy foods one can eat to burn calories while trying to lose weight. These foods not only burn more calories than they provide, but also contain additional minerals and nutrients that are essential for a healthy diet. Therefore, these are great additions to add to any meal while trying to shed some pounds and improve your eating habits.

Cucumbers. Calorie content: 100g contains 16 calories. Cucumbers are made up mostly of water. They are an excellent source of vitamin C and can be effective in reducing any high levels of inflammation in the body. They also contain ascorbic acid and caffeic acid, which helps prevent water retention.

Asparagus. Calorie content: 100g contains 20 calories. Asparagus contains antioxidants that can help reduce inflammation. It can also help to improve your metabolic rate and has diuretic nutrients that can aid in getting rid of harmful toxins. Additionally, they are rich in folate, which makes it a good food for pregnant women as folate is beneficial during pregnancy.

Cauliflower. Calorie content: 100g contains 25 calories. Cauliflower contains no fat. It is rich in Vitamin C, vitamin K, and fiber. Cauliflower is also rich in flavor, so there is no need to have to add additional spices and things to make it taste good. A good way to eat cauliflower is when it is lightly steamed or even raw. This way, it will remain crunchy. It will also make you feel fuller longer because will take you longer to chew, giving your body more time to realize that you are actually full.

Celery. Calorie content: 100g contains 16 calories. Celery is made up of 75 percent water and 25 percent fiber. Because it is rich in water, you are able to burn more calories while eating it as opposed to gaining them. Celery is a great snack while trying to lose weight because it takes more calories to eat celery than celery contains.

Tomatoes. Calorie content: 100g contains 18 calories. Tomatoes are rich in flavor and lycopene. It is actually the lycopene that gives tomatoes their vibrant red color. They are rich in vitamin C and low in calories. Tomatoes are also an antioxidant which helps lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Prior research says that cooked tomatoes are the most beneficial. Cooked tomatoes can have the same benefits as statins for people with high cholesterol or high blood pressure.
 

Papaya. Calorie content of papaya: 100g contains 43 calories. Fresh papayas have less calories per gram. Therefore, eating fresh papaya makes you feel full without going over your daily limit. They are rich in antioxidants, fiber, as well as vitamins C, E, and A. They also have digestive enzyme called papain which can help with digestion. Their fiber content can help lower cholesterol and with constipation.

 Chili peppers. Calorie content of chili peppers: 100g contains 40 calories. Chili peppers are known to be hot and spicy. These are actually one of the best foods for burning calories. They contain capsaicin which helps boost your metabolic rate and as a result helps the body burn more calories right after eating them. Raw chili peppers are a great addition to meals. Or, since they are used to make hot sauce and chili flakes, try adding one of these to your next meal for additional spiciness, flavor, and a boost in your metabolic rate. Chili peppers are also great for curbing your appetite.

 Apples. Calorie content of apples: 100g contains 52 calories. The best kind of apples to eat are green apples. Specifically, granny smith green apples. This is because green apples are rich in dietary fiber and help you feel fuller for a longer amount of time. Prior research has shown that dietary fiber is can help with weight loss as it curbs your appetite. Their high fiber content also makes them have a lower glycemic index compared to other fruits.

Coffee. Calorie content of plain black coffee: 0-2 calories. Just one cup of black coffee is all you need to jump start your day. It is best to drink it black as that contains little to no calories, which is great when trying to lose weight. Try to limit or avoid adding sugar or milk, as this can significantly increase the calorie intake. Black coffee also boosts your metabolic rate which can also help curb your appetite.

Most Common Eating Problems Solved

1.     You don’t have time to cook. Most people don’t realize that ready-to-eat meals are actually much less healthy than a home-cooked meal. Therefore, if you can find even just an hour to cook, it is better than getting takeout or eating frozen dinners every night. Try to plan ahead to make it easier for you.

2.     You eat every time you’re feeling down. Even if you’re responsible for the foods that you choose to eat most of the time, you may have the habit of easily making an exception when you’re in a bad mood, as a special concession for what you’re going through. Once you know how the cycle of poor moods and comfort foods works, you can try to find ways of comforting yourself in other ways.

3.     You can’t stop snacking in between meals. If you have a weak spot for snacking between meals, you risk eating too much and potentially gaining weight. To get this under control, don’t try to cut snacking out completely, but change the kind of snacks you are eating. Aim for healthy snacks instead of unhealthy snacks.

4.     You skip breakfast. You should never skip breakfast. This could cause you to end up being less efficient at work due to lack of energy, and less healthy. Breakfast does not have to be a larger meal. You only need servings of protein, fruit and whole grains. Try to at least grab a breakfast wrap or smoothie as long as they are healthy.

5.     You can’t stop snacking while watching television. Research shows that people who eat while doing other things such as television watching, end up eating 50 to 60 percent more than they do when they aren’t doing anything else. When eating, make that the sole activity. 

To keep weight off, keep kitchen counters food free

How much food do you keep in plain sight on your kitchen counter?  You might reconsider putting it in a cupboard or pantry as the saying, “out of sight, out of mind,” appears to have a special association when it comes to body weight.  A recent 2015 study conducted by the Cornell Food and Brand Lab headed by Brian Wansink, professor and director of the lab and author of Slim by Design: Mindless Eating Solutions for Everyday Life, has found a correlation between the amount and type of food visibly kept on a kitchen counter and how much the members of that household weigh.

Wansink has extensively studied eating behavior for years and this most recent study is an example of how our food environment in our homes influences our eating habits and our body mass index.  This current study has two parts: in Study 1, 500 households nationwide were asked to inventory their kitchen along with providing their height and weight; in Study 2, also called The Syracuse Study, researchers photographed and catalogued 210 households in Syracuse, New York with occupants of the households also providing their height and weight. 

The results of the studies demonstrated habits of slim people differ from habits of overweight to obese people which may play a huge role in whether a person gains weight or not. People desiring to lose weight are often told to go on a diet and count calories when maybe one of the best things they can do is modify their food environment within their homes.  Making some small yet appreciable changes might make a world of difference.

An example of Wansink’s past research shows notable behavioral differences between how obese individuals and normal weight individuals at an all-you-can-eat buffet:  obese diners tend to sit closer, facing the buffet, use a larger plate and are likely to sit at a table.  Normal weight diners tend to sit farther from, facing away from the buffet, using smaller plates and sit in a booth.  Neither the obese or normal weight individuals were counting calories, yet the normal weight individuals were naturally practicing fat-proofing tricks they had unconsciously been doing for years.

This recent study has applications that each of us can use to help design our food environment within our homes, particularly our kitchens, to make them more conducive to reduce temptations to overeat leading to weight gain. 

Food environments of homes where the occupants were overweight to obese:

·      Tended to store or keep food – such as regular or diet soft drinks, cereals, packaged snack foods, cookies, candy - visibly out in the open on a kitchen counter or other highly visible location.  They weighed 24 to 26 lbs more than people who did not store food out in the open.

·      Tended to buy food in bulk or large-sized packages.  Just keeping breakfast cereal on the counter was associated with the women in that household weighing 20 lbs more. 

Food environments of homes where the occupants were normal weight:

·      Tended to have fruit in a fruit bowl on the counter and no other food visible.

·      Tended to have a designated cupboard for snack items.

·      Tended to not buy food in bulk or large-sizes.

Even though the findings of this study are correlational, it does suggest the notion that when we can visibly see food and it’s convenient to us, there’s a good chance we’re going to consistently eat more which increases the chance of gaining weight.  When you remove eating cues in your home environment, it lessens the tendency to overeat. 

Wansink’s Slim By Design book makes these suggestions to help win the battle of weight gain by redesigning your kitchen environment:

·      Keep your kitchen a little less inviting.  Remove the TV, the iPads, computer and comfy chairs so you are not as tempted to spend a lot of time there.

·      Keep tempting foods out of sight and inconvenient to get to. 

·      Rearrange cupboards, pantries and the refrigerator so the first foods you see are at eye level and the healthiest for you.

·      The only visible food allowed on the kitchen counter is a bowl of fruit.

·      Make it easy to cook in your kitchen.  If you can easily move around in the kitchen, you’re more likely to want to cook from scratch which generally is healthier.

·      Even the color of your kitchen makes a difference.  Too bright of a color may cause you to eat quickly eating too much whereas too dark of a color may cause you to linger longer eating more.  Find a happy medium between too bright and too dark of a color.

Overall, we need to consider how our food environment does affect our eating behavior more than we realize.  When we are bombarded by seeing food throughout the day within the convenience of our homes, it can tempt us to overeat.  Make a few simple changes in your environment, and the chances of temptation are significantly reduced.

Want healthy gut bacteria? Follow the Mediterranean diet

Once again, the Mediterranean Diet continues to shine as an exceptionally healthy way of eating.  A recent 2015 study demonstrated a direct link between the type of food consumed in the Mediterranean Diet and the production of health-promoting short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in our intestinal tract.

When we eat insoluble fiber from plant based foods such as fruits, vegetables and legumes, it is fermented into SCFAs by bacteria living in the intestinal tract. These SCFAs are beneficial as they appear to help reduce heart disease, diabetes and inflammatory diseases. 

The study looked at 153 Italian adults who followed the Mediterranean Diet.  The Mediterranean Diet consists of large amounts of vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, whole grains, fish and low amounts of saturated fat, red meat and dairy foods.  The Italians following this way of eating had high levels of SCFAs and those who consumed the most plant based foods, basically vegetarians, had even higher levels of SCFAs than those who ate meat.  Meat eaters can benefit from SCFAs if they keep portion sizes small and consume more plant based foods.   A compound called trimethylamine oxide (TMAO) found in higher levels of individuals who eat beef, eggs, pork, and fish, is linked to heart disease.  The vegetarians and those who follow the Mediterranean Diet have lower levels of TMAO. 

The message learned here is to eat more plant-based foods having them fill up at least one-half of your dinner plate each day and keeping meat portions to a minimum.  Learn more about following the Mediterranean Diet way of eating and how it can boost your health and reduce disease.

Counting calories for weight loss is not working and here’s why:

I remember in my undergraduate years training as a student of dietetics, having to sometimes keep a food log for a class recording our calorie intake.  I found it tedious and boring.  Later on, working with clients seeking to lose weight, we were taught to place them on a certain calorie level to induce weight loss meaning they had to look up calorie levels of food.  For some it did work but I remember thinking to myself, “thank goodness that’s not me having to do that.”

Why did I not like counting calories?  Because I rarely put the emphasis on the number of calories consumed.  Instead my focus, my motivation always was and still is, on the nutritional quality of food I’m eating.  I’ll admit, I’ve never been overweight in my life therefore I’ve never been on a weight loss diet.  I’m not saying that in a bragging sense but rather to emphasize when our focus is shifted from thinking in terms of calories to instead thinking in terms of nutritional quality, everything changes.  

The notion weight loss can best be achieved by keeping track of how many calories you’ve eaten in a day, is beginning to be questioned more and more.  Is this really the right thing for people wanting to lose weight to focus on? The weight loss industry, bringing in $58 billion in revenue each year in the U.S., highlights calorie restriction by either cutting out entire food groups or severely restricting calories, and yet most people will regain the weight lost on these diets.  Currently, 34.9% or 78.6 million adults in the U.S. are obese (obesity being defined as a body mass index or BMI of 30 or >), a record level.  Clearly, something is not working.

The food industry has not helped.  Remember back in the 1980’s and 1990’s when fat was considered a villain and suddenly supermarket shelves were filled with snack foods labels proudly proclaiming “fat-free” or “reduced-fat.”  What do you think they replaced the fat with?  Sugar.  Sugar is a simple carbohydrate rapidly absorbed in our intestinal tract. This leads to a brisk rise in our blood sugar causing the pancreas to release the hormone insulin. Insulin gets the sugar out of our bloodstream and into the cells of our body, which is its job, but then this leads to a corresponding rapid drop in our blood sugar.  When we have a rapid drop in our blood sugar, we get hungry and our cravings lean towards eating more highly-sweetened carbohydrate foods, resulting in a viscous cycle. 

The results of replacing fat with sugar and other highly refined/processed food in our food supply during the 1980’s-1990’s was very likely one factor in the explosion of the obesity rate in the U.S.  People didn’t eat less, they ate more.  Consuming easily absorbed carbohydrates that quickly enter into our bloodstream make us hungrier faster than foods that take longer to be digested. 

You’ve probably heard of the phrase “a calorie is a calorie no matter where it comes from.”  This is no longer accepted.  Two separate journal articles, one a 2014 commentary in Public Health Nutrition and the other, a 2015 editorial address this.  Calories are units of energy, a measure of the potential energy a food can release. Calories come from protein, fat, carbohydrates and alcohol, each having varying effects on our satiety, food consumption, weight maintenance and body composition by how they interact with different hormones and physiological pathways.  Hormones affected include:

·      Ghrelin – an appetite –stimulating hormone

·      Leptin – an appetite-suppressing hormone

·      Glucagon – a hormone raising blood sugar

·      Insulin – a hormone lowering blood sugar

When a person reduces their caloric intake, it tends to result in fatigue along with increasing hunger usually for carbohydrates that are absorbed quickly – highly processed and refined foods such as white rice, sodas, food made with white flour – often resulting in rebound weight gain in the long term.  Eating carbohydrates that are rapidly absorbed, may be promoting leptin resistance, the appetite-suppressing hormone.  Maybe it’s not so much the number of calories eaten but instead the type of carbohydrate foods we’re choosing leading to weight gain. 

So, should all of us quit counting calories and stop looking at the calorie amounts on the back of food labels?  It depends. 

Here are some reasons why counting calories may be harming your weight loss efforts:

·      It can be monotonous leading to burnout making you feel like a human calculator.  If you love math and keeping figures, you may enjoy it.  But often you feel resentful if you deprive yourself from all high calorie foods.  When foods are forbidden, you may end up craving them and eating more when the opportunity arises.

·      If you restrict yourself on the number of calories you can consume, anytime you give into temptation, it can lead to bingeing.  It’s called the “what the hell effect.”  You have a tendency to feel “if I’ve blown my diet, I might as well eat even more.” 

·      It can cause you to overthink your food choices.  This can lead to feelings of stress and deprivation that takes a toll on our mental and physical well-being to where you lose the pleasure of eating.

·      It may not be helping you learn to listen to your body intuitively.  There will be some days you want to eat less calories you’ve been assigned to or other days you want to eat more.  When we begin really paying attention to our hunger/fullness cues throughout the day, this can go a long way to curbing your intake of food more naturally.

So, what can be done? 

Both aforementioned journal articles had suggestions that merit a closer look and are ones I’ve always advocated as a registered dietitian.  Our focus should not be so intense on the calories found in food.  Here are ideas that may turn the tide in reducing obesity:

·      Put the focus on eating actual food.  Not processed or refined food but food Mother Nature provides for us.  The kind you grow in your backyard or find at a farmer’s market or in the produce section at the grocery store. 

·      Think in terms of the nutritive value of the food and not so much the amount of calories in it.  What kind of minerals, vitamins and phytochemicals does the food provide, that should be the focus.  Build meals around fresh, healthy food.

·      Decrease consumption of refined/highly processed foods to a bare minimum.  The more ingredients listed usually the less healthy it is for you.

·      Work with agricultural industries to help create subsidies for fruits and vegetables, making them more affordable and available to the general public.

 ·      Have tighter controls on marketing of junk food.

·      Eat regular meals each day.  Avoid skipping or eating chaotically throughout the day. 

 ·      When choosing what to eat, think in terms of “How will this nourish my body?  Is this a food promoting my health or harming my health?”

There are no short term fixes.  Counting calories may be the solution for some people but it’s been tried over and over without making much headway when it comes to weight loss.  It’s time to get back to basics by wiping clean the highly refined/processed foods from your diet and starting with fresh, natural foods – vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains, lean meat, fish, poultry, dairy.

Simply eating healthy without having to count calories is one of the easiest things to do.   It frees you up to enjoy food without stressing over a certain number to meet.  In addition, keeping things simple makes everything more likely to fall into place.