If you are stuck at the same weight but eating the right amount of calories for your body, you might want to ask yourself if hidden sugar is causing you to gain weight?
Many of you know how we feel about typical fad diets. They play on our emotions claiming to provide a quick fix, but after the weight is lost, if it’s lost, what’s next!
Maureen is client of ours who has utilized boot camp, private personal training and wellness coaching. She has experienced a major transformation combining wellness coaching, personal fitness training (including running on her own) and eating a low glycemic diet.
In 5 weeks she lost 12lbs and said, ” It is the fastest way I lost weight in my entire life!”.
Her major weight loss breakthrough came when she started to eat low glycemic foods combined with her regular fitness program. She experienced significant weight loss fairly quickly, safely and consistently!
Read the rest of her success story and testimonial!
Do you want to lose weight easily and keep it off too?
It’s another New Year and another round of resolutions. However, wouldn’t it be nice to actually get the results you want this year? If you answered yes, then keep reading.
Recently, Harvard University conducted a study that was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
They conducted an experiment with three different diets.
“The low-fat diet, which reduces dietary fat and emphasizes whole grain products and a variety of fruits and vegetables, was based on 60 percent of daily calories from carbohydrates, 20 percent from fat, and 20 percent from protein.
The low-glycemic index diet, made up of minimally processed grains, vegetables, healthy fats, legumes and fruits, gathered 40 percent of daily calories from carbohydrates, 40 percent from fat, and 20 percent from protein. Low-glycemic index carbohydrates digest slowly, helping to keep blood sugar and hormones stable after the meal.
The low-carbohydrate diet, modeled after the Atkins diet, was based on 10 percent of daily calories from carbohydrates, 60 percent from fat, and 30 percent from protein.”
They found that the “low glycemic” diet may be preferable to “low-fat” diets to achieve lasting weight loss maintenance. Low glycemic refers to foods that don’t turn into sugar quickly and flood your bloodstream. The high glycemic foods produce a large concentration of simple sugar in the blood. Since most humans can’t use that much sugar for energy, the simple sugars turn to glycogen which eventually turns into fat (usually belly fat).
“Even though the low gylcemic and low carbohydrate “diets” produced similar results, the low-carb diet displayed the negative effects of stress and inflammation. This low-carb diet increased participants’ cortisol levels, which can lead to insulin resistance and cardiovascular disease. The very-low-carbohydrate diet also raised C-reactive protein levels, which may also increase risk of cardiovascular disease.”
Too see more of the article go to: http://news.harvard.edu/
They also noted in the study: “Though a low-fat diet is traditionally recommended by the U.S. government and American Heart Association, it caused the greatest decrease in energy expenditure, an unhealthy lipid pattern, and insulin resistance.”
They continued to explain the benefits of low glycemic foods:
Sustainable…..why? Because we need carbs and a reasonable amount of healthy fats to get through the day. The real problem is that most Americans consume too much sugar. There are a range of sources that estimate that Americans eat 100 -150 pounds of sugar each year, and it is sometimes found in the most unassuming places.
Info-graphiccreated by: www.OnlineNursingPrograms.com
If this feels overwhelming to you you may have a sugar addiction. Kelly Brownell, PhD, director of Yale University’s Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity, notes: “Whether food and addiction is a viable concept is scarcely in question. . . . Food can act on the brain as an addictive substance. Certain constituents of food, sugar in particular, may hijack the brain and override will, judgment and personal responsibility. . . . The addictive impact of food may be a contributor to the global health crises created by obesity and diabetes.”
Another study performed by Johnson & Kenny in 2010 suggests that sugar addiction on rats was similar to cocaine addiction. Lab rats with unlimited access to a high-fat, high-carbohydrate diet almost eat themselves to death. They’ll voluntarily walk across an electrified plate and endure painful shocks in order to get their junk food hit. In one study, when rats had access to high-fat, high-carbohydrate food for only 1 hour a day, they consumed 65% of their daily calories in one sitting, continuously gorging until the food was removed. However, when the food disappeared they didn’t simply shrug their rodent shoulders and turn back to regular chow. Instead, they withdrew and curled up into a fetal position, soothing themselves with nervous hand-wringing, and becoming excessively twitchy and easily startled. They were hungry for their fix. Without it, they ended up with “the shakes” (Johnson & Kenny 2010). Lab rats will quickly develop a tolerance for sugar, eagerly quadrupling their daily sugar consumption in 1 week. If the sugar’s taken away, the hunger for their fix is relentless and leads to withdrawal symptoms. They’ll start fighting with other rats, shaking and getting angry. Once the rats become addicted to sugar, they are far more eager to gobble up amphetamines, alcohol and cocaine in huge quantities—and they become almost instantly addicted to those substances as well. When given the choice between sugar, cocaine and alcohol, those cross-addicted rats will always choose—you guessed it—sugar (Journal Johnson & Kenny 2010).
So What Can I Eat?
Not all sugar will cause you to have cravings and withdrawal. According to Rachel K. Johnson, PhD, MPH, RD, associate provost and professor of nutrition at the University of Vermont in Burlington, “Naturally occurring sugars in fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy and whole grains don’t need to be avoided, and make up part of a healthy diet” (Brownell, K., & Gold, M. 2012).
How do I follow a low-glycemic diet?
The Boston Children’s Hospital Suggests to use the guidelines listed below rather than a hard and fast “diet”.
- Choose fiber-rich, natural carbohydrates such as vegetables, fruits and legumes, and eat them along with a source of protein and a healthy fat.
- Eat grain products in their least processed state possible (for example, stone ground whole wheat bread rather than white bread).
- When you have a sugary treat, do so only in moderation and after a balanced meal.
- Limit fruit juice, avoid sugary soda and drink mostly water.
Are you up for the challenge?
If your ready to make a lasting healthy lifestyle change, try the Feel Fit In 5 : Home Study Program /5 Day Challenge! It is the perfect way to get back the mainframe of setting realistic exercise and nutrition goals. It comes with video training modules and audios for cardio and meditation. Try Feel Fit In 5: 5 Day Challenge!
Post your success on our facebook page!
References:
http://news.harvard.edu/
http://www.aarp.org/health/healthy-living/info-07-2012/which-diet-works-best.html
http://childrenshospital.org/clinicalservices/Site3080/mainpageS3080P40.html
http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/Glycemic_index_and_glycemic_load_for_100_foods.htm
Brownell, K., & Gold, M. 2012. Food and addiction: Scientific, social, legal and legislative implications. In K. Brownell & M. Gold (Eds.), Food and Addiction (pp. 439-45). New York: Oxford Press.
Peak. 2012. Food and Addiction: The Dopamine Made Me Do It. Idea Health and Fitness Association.
Johnson, P., & Kenny, P. 2010. Dopamine D2 receptors in addiction-like reward dysfunction and compulsive eating in obese rats. Nature Neuroscience, 13 (5), 635-41.
