Everyone wants to look good. And in the female language this generally means “thin”. I have come to believe this after observing thousands of women in the years I have spent in the fitness and wellness industry. The only difference is how desperate the particular person is to achieve her own version of “good looking” and what is she prepared to do for it.
The one theme that I see occurring time and time again is cravings. They seem to appear out of nowhere doing their best to disrupt the progress of even the most dedicated of people and are always directed towards the “bad” stuff. No one craves carrots and spinach, but slap chips and chocolate feature prominently…
So, let’s look at cravings today and what can be done about them. Beginning with: which cravings you can sort of give in to and which ones are as bad as they sound. There are some surprises!
Everyone wants to look good. And in the female language this generally means “thin”. I have come to believe this after observing thousands of women in the years I have spent in the fitness and wellness industry. The only difference is how desperate the particular person is to achieve her own version of “good looking” and what is she prepared to do for it.
The one theme that I see occurring time and time again is cravings. They seem to appear out of nowhere doing their best to disrupt the progress of even the most dedicated of people and are always directed towards the “bad” stuff. No one craves carrots and spinach, but slap chips and chocolate feature prominently…
So, let’s look at cravings today and what can be done about them. Beginning with: which cravings you can sort of give in to and which ones are as bad as they sound. There are some surprises!
Bread and Potatoes
Bread and potatoes do not make you fat. Starchy vegetables and (whole grain) bread, are carbs you need for fuel. The problem is not these foods, but how much we eat of them and how we tend to prepare them. A slice of bread is a serving and so is a medium potato that fits in the palm of your hand. It’s also when you smear your bread with butter and fry your potatoes that you increase the calorie intake as much as four times. Spread fat free cottage cheese on your bread or eat it plain instead and dress your baked or boiled potatoes minimally (fat free plain yoghurt and squeezed lemon = guilt free sour cream) to get the benefits from these foods without skyrocketing your caloric intake.
Water Intake
Some people believe that drinking a big glass of water before you eat helps you feel less hungry. Well – sort of. Water does curb your appetite if it's incorporated into food like a soup, or a thick vegetable juice like V8. Apparently, when water is bound to food, digestion is slower and a fuller stomach means fewer hunger pangs. The thing to look out for: It's easy to confuse hunger and thirst, so if you find yourself craving something, drink a big glass of water first and see what happens. It may be that a drink is all your body really wanted.
Shellfish
We, in the Cape, are spoilt for choice when it comes to seafood and shellfish in particular. And I am sure you have heard about the mountains of cholesterol packed in your shrimp cocktail. It's true. Three ounces of shrimp contain more than a third of your daily cholesterol. But there's more: Shrimp is low in saturated fat and has a bit of omega-3 fatty acids. Eaten in moderation, shellfish can have health benefits. According to researchers at the University of Southern California, eating shellfish every week produced a 59% reduction in heart attack risk. The trick? Go to one of these nuveau cuisine restaurants (like Beluga and Sevruga) where a portion of langoustines is just that – a portion. Ocean Basket may be offering value for money for your wallet, but the only way to enjoy it is to order a single portion for a girls’ night out… Thinking of it – it’s a good idea for the cash-strapped January days!
Burger & Fries
It is fine to eat the occasional burger and fries. The problem: Your interpretation of the word, “occasional”. If that means every Friday night to you (and some Wednesdays), you’re probably pushing it. Now, if we’re talking every few months and you're fit, your numbers for weight, waist size, cholesterol, and blood pressure are all good, AND the rest of the time you’re eating vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and other nutritious fare, well, okay then. You’re fine. But few of us are that perfect. If you do “occasionally” indulge, take a nice fast paced 90-minute walk afterward to help offset the effects.
Coke (Zero or Regular)
Many girls I know are hooked on Coke and believe that the sugar-free Zero version is better for them, weight-wise. Truth is, both regular and sugar-free carbonated drinks are lousy for us. Both types increase kidney and heart disease risk, plus they contain acids that erode tooth enamel and welcome cavities. It’s always best to satisfy your thirst with water, diluted fruit juice, and green tea rather than any type of soda. If you really miss the bubbles, go for sparkling water, but avoid the flavoured ones. Just squeeze fresh lemon in it yourself or pop a few chopped strawberries.
Well, that’s great to know, you might be thinking – but what do I do when I’ve just GOT to indulge in a little something before I go NUTS??!! It’s holidays, after all…
I’ll tell you what. If you’re going to indulge yourself in something sinful and delicious and there’s just no stopping you - do it as early in the day as possible. Researchers say that we get the most satisfaction from our food in the morning and our capacity to feel satisfied steadily weakens over the course of the day. (Hence we often overeat in the evenings – trying to satisfy the taste buds on weakened senses). If you eat your biggest meal at breakfast and continue to eat small portions of healthy foods throughout the day, chances are that you’ll be a lot less likely to have strong cravings for unhealthy “comfort” foods in the evening.
And if you absolutely can’t avoid the overindulgence this holiday, I will let you in on a little secret: Starting from 2 January 2009, a new client of mine has agreed to follow a daily exercise and meal plan for 90 days designed specifically for weight loss and is willing to publish her journey on the blog. So, starting from 2 January, I will publish her measurements and daily exercise and diet. You can choose to follow the plan too (or modify however you choose to). I would love to hear about your experience with it, so feel free to send comments or questions and I will do my best to address each one of them personally.
Ciao! Enjoy the holidays!
Jeni
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Sunday, November 30, 2008
The Truth About Food
Hey guys!
Did you watch the TV program called The Truth About Food on SABC2 last week? Three of my clients watched it and there has been some healthy debate since then, so I am going to lay it out flat here – on the blog.
For those of you, who missed it, the program displays five admittedly unscientific experiments with a bunch of volunteers to confirm or reject some wide-spread claims from supplement manufacturers, celebrity nutritionists and dieticians worldwide. The tests done were as follows:
- Three London cab drivers were initially tested for their basal stress tolerance levels (read someone got in the cab and irritated the living cr*p out of them). Then, the drivers were put on a diet consisting of fatty fish (salmon & tuna) at least twice a week for three months. Then, their response to “stressful situations” was tested again. The purpose of this test is to verify the effects of Omega 3 fatty acids (in fatty fish) on the nervous system’s ability to cope.
- A group of 12 karate masters, all vegetarian, are split in two and half of them agreed to accept meat once again in their diets for 2 months. The objective is to evaluate the performance of meat eaters vs. vegetarians and specifically whether the low occurrence of creatine and iron in the vegetarians’ blood hampers their physical ability.
- Two caffeine addicts are subjected to a blind experiment with one of them being given decaf coffee for a week, while the other downs real java. The goal is to determine whether caffeine withdrawal interferes with mental performance.
- The forth test was the one that drew my clients’ attention. Here , four sets of very active identical twins are split in two groups (a twin of each pair in each group) to “take genetics out of the equation”. The two groups are fed drastically different diets, high carb vs. Atkins’ type protein-fat combo, and then taken through a gruelling physical competition, to establish which nutritional plan is more appropriate for athletes.
- Finally, the last test aims to identify whether it is carbs that fuel performance or “the taste of carbs”. The test involves sugar cane farm workers who are split in three groups. One group drinks water, one group – sugar water, and the third group only swirls the sugar water solution in their mouth and then spits it out.
As I said, the debate with my clients was centred around the fourth test. While I do not support the drastic carb elimination suggested by Dr. Atkins, and Dr. Agatston (the author of The South Beach Diet), I do know that reducing carbohydrate consumption is essential to weight loss. And since my clients are primarily concerned with weight loss, their meal plans resemble the no-carb team’s one much closer than the sugary cereal and spaghetti the other team was offered in the test. By now you have obviously figured it out – the team of twins consuming carbohydrates won the challenge, which consisted of a 5 hr mountain bike ride, a run through a lake, carrying a raft and some boot camp drills back at home base. Thus, my clients believe that I am misleading them by “taking away their daily bread” (excuse the pun!).
So, for all of you out there, let me clear it all out:
The test was measuring performance for HIGH ENDURANCE athletes. In fact for the first two hours of the test both teams kept up with each other. It was only after 2 hrs that team protein started slowing down. Now, if you run/swim/ride/etc for 3 hrs or longer every day, by all means you need the carbs!
How many of you do that?
I thought so!
The other thing to remember is what are you trying to achieve. None of these athletes were trying to lose weight! There is no such thing as a bad diet. Just a diet that achieves different results. To lose weight you lower the carbs and to keep up the pace in a long-distance event you down Energades. Simple!
Oh, and if you are curious about the rest of the findings:
Apparently eating fatty fish does reduce the stress levels significantly. How to cook the fish was believed to be the major issue people have with adding it to the menu, so if you fall in that camp – supplement… (Just watch out for the mercury in some of the supplements!).
Caffeine addiction is absolutely real and mental performance did dip quite a bit for the poor oak on decaf in the second and third day of the test. By day 7, though, he was back to his espresso-days-performance and the addiction was cleared. Is it worth ditching your daily fix, then? You decide…
On the vegetarian vs. meat eaters debate, the conclusion was inconclusive! One of the girls in the experiment improved her scores by 21%, while the others recorded no significant change…
And lastly, it is the TASTE of carbs, not the actual carbs that fuel performance, according to the sugar cane experiment. This is apparently due to some carb receptor on the tongue that sends a message to the brain that carbs are coming, which subsequently energizes the body! I know these findings clash a bit with the twins’ test, but the difference is (again) in the duration. The latter test was only done over a one hour period.
So, to make a long story short, you still need to watch the carbs if you want to lose. Period.
Did you watch the TV program called The Truth About Food on SABC2 last week? Three of my clients watched it and there has been some healthy debate since then, so I am going to lay it out flat here – on the blog.
For those of you, who missed it, the program displays five admittedly unscientific experiments with a bunch of volunteers to confirm or reject some wide-spread claims from supplement manufacturers, celebrity nutritionists and dieticians worldwide. The tests done were as follows:
- Three London cab drivers were initially tested for their basal stress tolerance levels (read someone got in the cab and irritated the living cr*p out of them). Then, the drivers were put on a diet consisting of fatty fish (salmon & tuna) at least twice a week for three months. Then, their response to “stressful situations” was tested again. The purpose of this test is to verify the effects of Omega 3 fatty acids (in fatty fish) on the nervous system’s ability to cope.
- A group of 12 karate masters, all vegetarian, are split in two and half of them agreed to accept meat once again in their diets for 2 months. The objective is to evaluate the performance of meat eaters vs. vegetarians and specifically whether the low occurrence of creatine and iron in the vegetarians’ blood hampers their physical ability.
- Two caffeine addicts are subjected to a blind experiment with one of them being given decaf coffee for a week, while the other downs real java. The goal is to determine whether caffeine withdrawal interferes with mental performance.
- The forth test was the one that drew my clients’ attention. Here , four sets of very active identical twins are split in two groups (a twin of each pair in each group) to “take genetics out of the equation”. The two groups are fed drastically different diets, high carb vs. Atkins’ type protein-fat combo, and then taken through a gruelling physical competition, to establish which nutritional plan is more appropriate for athletes.
- Finally, the last test aims to identify whether it is carbs that fuel performance or “the taste of carbs”. The test involves sugar cane farm workers who are split in three groups. One group drinks water, one group – sugar water, and the third group only swirls the sugar water solution in their mouth and then spits it out.
As I said, the debate with my clients was centred around the fourth test. While I do not support the drastic carb elimination suggested by Dr. Atkins, and Dr. Agatston (the author of The South Beach Diet), I do know that reducing carbohydrate consumption is essential to weight loss. And since my clients are primarily concerned with weight loss, their meal plans resemble the no-carb team’s one much closer than the sugary cereal and spaghetti the other team was offered in the test. By now you have obviously figured it out – the team of twins consuming carbohydrates won the challenge, which consisted of a 5 hr mountain bike ride, a run through a lake, carrying a raft and some boot camp drills back at home base. Thus, my clients believe that I am misleading them by “taking away their daily bread” (excuse the pun!).
So, for all of you out there, let me clear it all out:
The test was measuring performance for HIGH ENDURANCE athletes. In fact for the first two hours of the test both teams kept up with each other. It was only after 2 hrs that team protein started slowing down. Now, if you run/swim/ride/etc for 3 hrs or longer every day, by all means you need the carbs!
How many of you do that?
I thought so!
The other thing to remember is what are you trying to achieve. None of these athletes were trying to lose weight! There is no such thing as a bad diet. Just a diet that achieves different results. To lose weight you lower the carbs and to keep up the pace in a long-distance event you down Energades. Simple!
Oh, and if you are curious about the rest of the findings:
Apparently eating fatty fish does reduce the stress levels significantly. How to cook the fish was believed to be the major issue people have with adding it to the menu, so if you fall in that camp – supplement… (Just watch out for the mercury in some of the supplements!).
Caffeine addiction is absolutely real and mental performance did dip quite a bit for the poor oak on decaf in the second and third day of the test. By day 7, though, he was back to his espresso-days-performance and the addiction was cleared. Is it worth ditching your daily fix, then? You decide…
On the vegetarian vs. meat eaters debate, the conclusion was inconclusive! One of the girls in the experiment improved her scores by 21%, while the others recorded no significant change…
And lastly, it is the TASTE of carbs, not the actual carbs that fuel performance, according to the sugar cane experiment. This is apparently due to some carb receptor on the tongue that sends a message to the brain that carbs are coming, which subsequently energizes the body! I know these findings clash a bit with the twins’ test, but the difference is (again) in the duration. The latter test was only done over a one hour period.
So, to make a long story short, you still need to watch the carbs if you want to lose. Period.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Weight Loss: What NOT To Do
Being in the midst of weight loss season (September to late November is the period when the weight loss industry really flourishes in South Africa!) we are currently immersed in “professional tips” and “proven information” on what to do to get the coveted 60cm waist. Shape magazine has a new plan guaranteed to help you lose 5kg till Christmas. Cleo Mag also offers advice on battling the bulge. Actually, I don’t think you will find a mag that doesn’t.
The concepts are all quite simple (and similar), really. Eat healthy, exercise daily, take care of your body and mind, visualise your success… All the things that you already know you should do…
Yet, weight loss sometimes requires of you to just let go and NOT do. Relinquish the control and let it happen naturally…
Here is a list of some common mistakes that we all get caught into amidst our eagerness for slimmer and prettier “me”:
1. Don’t check your weight in your bathroom scales everyday.
I know you are eager to see the confirmation of your efforts in the shape of lost pounds, but you should not let this drive you to checking your weight everyday. The daily fluctuations of your weight will soon have you depressed and ready to quit the plan. And this is something you want to avoid.
2. Don’t rush into the toughest weight loss diet
This is the most common mistake by far (in my view). Super strict diets don’t work. Period. They don’t work for anyone in the long term. Not even for the “testimonials” used to sell the books. Get it into your head and stick to the more sensible approaches. I mean, come on… You know that you can’t survive the strict routine for more than 3 days, right? And then what? Once again admitting to failure and beating yourself with endless guilt?
3. Don’t go to the gym too often to lose weight!
Another common mistake is to use the enthusiasm of the first days to hit the gym every day. This won’t help you at all. Your body needs time to heal and expand the muscle mass after each training session and going to the gym every day interferes with this natural process. Besides, a week of non-stop training could never offset ten or twenty years of couch potato lifestyle.
4. Don’t cut down too many calories in order to lose weight
We all know that cutting down on calories is one of the building blocks of all diets, but you have to be careful about it. Cut down on too many calories and your body will start storing anything it possibly can. This is not a good way to lose weight. You can look at the earlier posts in this blog to calculate the “safe” amount of calories to cut, but general rule of thumb is no more than 20% of your total intake. I.e. if you currently eat 1,800 calories a day, you can’t cut out more than 360 calories at a time… about a small meal. Yep, you are right – you will need to keep a food diary to track that!
5. Don’t skip meals in order to lose weight quickly!
Some people think that skipping one or two meals could help them lose weight faster. Been there, done that. Won’t even talk about it any further, but just for the uninitiated: Work towards INCREASING your number of meals, not reducing it. Eating all your calories in one or two sittings a day is totally counter-productive. 6 meals a day IS YOUR GOAL!
6. Don’t rely on your will power alone for weight loss
Use your head as well. If you wish to know how much you eat, then write everything down and analyze the list for things that should not be there (or mail it to me!). Sometimes “hunger” creeps up on you and make you eat something you shouldn’t. Beat it. Unless you are pregnant (and I am not even too sure about that one!) physical cravings DO NOT exist. It’s all in your head!
7. Don’t let emotions drive your weight loss
Aside from the eagerness that drives people to check their weight every day, there are other emotions that influence dieting. If you know you’re used to reaching out for ice-cream or snacks when you are bored, frustrated or angry, then you should deal with these issues first. Weight loss will happen, once you have your life sorted out.
8. Don’t lose touch with reality while following a weight loss plan
You can’t realistically expect things to happen over night. When choosing your goal, start small, but be prepared to go far. If you hear someone saying that he lost a large number of pounds in a short time, don’t make it your goal to match his performance. Diet results are different from one person to another. It is NOT a competition!
9. Don’t deny yourself your favourite foods while trying to lose weight
Treats are allowed and actually required to preserve your mental sanity and wellbeing. But don’t go overboard. It wasn’t treats that made you fat. It was overdoing them. So, make peace with your past and allow yourself a treat occasionally. Keywords to note here are “a treat” (as opposed to “treats”) and “occasionally” (meaning exactly that)!
10. Don’t refuse to seek help for losing weight
Not knowing what to do in order to lose weight effectively is NOT a reflection on you. Unless you studied dietetics, kinesiology and physiology, no one expects you to know what a phytonutrient is, why you need it and how your body reacts to its presence in your digestive track. No. Going to a weight loss coach, dietician or trainer is NOT embarrassing. Think about it… How does it differ from going to a doctor, mechanic or enrolling for Spanish lessons? You need something to happen and you go to a professional, right?
I wish you all a successful weight loss journey!
Ciao!
Jeni
The concepts are all quite simple (and similar), really. Eat healthy, exercise daily, take care of your body and mind, visualise your success… All the things that you already know you should do…
Yet, weight loss sometimes requires of you to just let go and NOT do. Relinquish the control and let it happen naturally…
Here is a list of some common mistakes that we all get caught into amidst our eagerness for slimmer and prettier “me”:
1. Don’t check your weight in your bathroom scales everyday.
I know you are eager to see the confirmation of your efforts in the shape of lost pounds, but you should not let this drive you to checking your weight everyday. The daily fluctuations of your weight will soon have you depressed and ready to quit the plan. And this is something you want to avoid.
2. Don’t rush into the toughest weight loss diet
This is the most common mistake by far (in my view). Super strict diets don’t work. Period. They don’t work for anyone in the long term. Not even for the “testimonials” used to sell the books. Get it into your head and stick to the more sensible approaches. I mean, come on… You know that you can’t survive the strict routine for more than 3 days, right? And then what? Once again admitting to failure and beating yourself with endless guilt?
3. Don’t go to the gym too often to lose weight!
Another common mistake is to use the enthusiasm of the first days to hit the gym every day. This won’t help you at all. Your body needs time to heal and expand the muscle mass after each training session and going to the gym every day interferes with this natural process. Besides, a week of non-stop training could never offset ten or twenty years of couch potato lifestyle.
4. Don’t cut down too many calories in order to lose weight
We all know that cutting down on calories is one of the building blocks of all diets, but you have to be careful about it. Cut down on too many calories and your body will start storing anything it possibly can. This is not a good way to lose weight. You can look at the earlier posts in this blog to calculate the “safe” amount of calories to cut, but general rule of thumb is no more than 20% of your total intake. I.e. if you currently eat 1,800 calories a day, you can’t cut out more than 360 calories at a time… about a small meal. Yep, you are right – you will need to keep a food diary to track that!
5. Don’t skip meals in order to lose weight quickly!
Some people think that skipping one or two meals could help them lose weight faster. Been there, done that. Won’t even talk about it any further, but just for the uninitiated: Work towards INCREASING your number of meals, not reducing it. Eating all your calories in one or two sittings a day is totally counter-productive. 6 meals a day IS YOUR GOAL!
6. Don’t rely on your will power alone for weight loss
Use your head as well. If you wish to know how much you eat, then write everything down and analyze the list for things that should not be there (or mail it to me!). Sometimes “hunger” creeps up on you and make you eat something you shouldn’t. Beat it. Unless you are pregnant (and I am not even too sure about that one!) physical cravings DO NOT exist. It’s all in your head!
7. Don’t let emotions drive your weight loss
Aside from the eagerness that drives people to check their weight every day, there are other emotions that influence dieting. If you know you’re used to reaching out for ice-cream or snacks when you are bored, frustrated or angry, then you should deal with these issues first. Weight loss will happen, once you have your life sorted out.
8. Don’t lose touch with reality while following a weight loss plan
You can’t realistically expect things to happen over night. When choosing your goal, start small, but be prepared to go far. If you hear someone saying that he lost a large number of pounds in a short time, don’t make it your goal to match his performance. Diet results are different from one person to another. It is NOT a competition!
9. Don’t deny yourself your favourite foods while trying to lose weight
Treats are allowed and actually required to preserve your mental sanity and wellbeing. But don’t go overboard. It wasn’t treats that made you fat. It was overdoing them. So, make peace with your past and allow yourself a treat occasionally. Keywords to note here are “a treat” (as opposed to “treats”) and “occasionally” (meaning exactly that)!
10. Don’t refuse to seek help for losing weight
Not knowing what to do in order to lose weight effectively is NOT a reflection on you. Unless you studied dietetics, kinesiology and physiology, no one expects you to know what a phytonutrient is, why you need it and how your body reacts to its presence in your digestive track. No. Going to a weight loss coach, dietician or trainer is NOT embarrassing. Think about it… How does it differ from going to a doctor, mechanic or enrolling for Spanish lessons? You need something to happen and you go to a professional, right?
I wish you all a successful weight loss journey!
Ciao!
Jeni
Friday, October 31, 2008
How Much Do You Know About Sugar?
This is an easy topic. Everyone knows that sugar is bad, particularly when taken in excess. Right? So, why is it so difficult to stay away from it then? My personal opinion: sugar is a drug. It has no nutritional value. It is “addictive” and once you are into the sugar cycle, you simply can’t “quit”. I know the medical society may disagree with my terminology, but read further and see for yourself.
In order to keep the amount of sugar floating through your blood vessels at around a teaspoon, your body releases insulin whenever you eat foods that result in sugar entering your blood stream. Most carbs fit this category. Sugar, most sweeteners, grains, cookies, pastries, cakes, pasta, and starchy vegetables like potatoes all lead to a release of sugar into your blood stream. Insulin works by stimulating your cells to sponge up this excess sugar out of your blood stream. Once inside your cells, sugar is used for energy, with any excess amount being converted to adipose tissue (i.e. fat). Insulin also happens to promote fat storage. Nice!
If you eat sugary foods or too many processed carbohydrates for long enough, your body will have released so much insulin that it will begin to lose its sensitivity to insulin, which means that your cells won’t receive as strong a signal to sponge up excess sugar out of your blood. This will lead to excess sugar floating around your blood vessels and all the health problems that come with this scenario. (Your doctor will probably call this pre-diabetes.)
Basically, if you start the day with sugar (sugary cereal, sugary juice, etc...) you will start the roller-coaster of glucose/insulin and you'll end up having to continue to consume sugar throughout the day. Bad plan!
The, issue, however, is that most people have no idea how many different “disguises” sugar can take in packaged foods! So, you really need to educate yourself into what is what and once you know – read those labels!
Here is the BADDIES list:
Sucrose: This is pure white table sugar. Just another name for it…
But you knew that, right? How about the following? They are all different names for essentially the same thing – sugar:
Glucose, fructose, lactose, maltose, invert sugar, glucose syrup, maple syrup, brown sugar, honey, raw sugar, molasses, black treacle, golden syrup, dextrose, levulose, sorbitol, maltodextrin…
Basically anything ending with –ose is a type of sugar, that you would be better off without.
High Fructose Corn Syrup: This is a really bad one! It originates in the States circa 1977, when import tariffs were imposed on sugar, so food manufacturers turned to this “monster” as a financially viable alternative. It is basically corn syrup that has been enzyme-processed to increase its fructose content and then mixed with pure corn syrup (100% glucose) to become “high fructose corn syrup”. You would really do good staying away from that one as it really wracks havoc in your intestines. HFCS is often found in biscuits, pastries and soft drinks. For example, Coca Cola uses sugar or HFCS in its recipe, depending on the country in which the drink is manufactured (i.e. what is the cheaper raw material).
Aspartame: So you think, "Well I'll be smart and get Coke Zero!" Bad idea! While aspartame does not contain any calories, the stuff is possibly worse than sugar! Something like 20 types of cancer have been linked to aspartame and while non of the studies has provided “conclusive” evidence, are you interested in being one of the lab rats? Aspartame was rejected by FDA twice, before in 1983, Dr. Arthur Hayes (then commissioner of FDA) overwrote his own decision and approved it, two months before his retirement. Strangely enough, he then accepted a position as Senior Medical Advisor to Burson Marsteller (NutraSweet’s PR agency)… Enough said… You make your own choices.
Sucralose: The “new age” sweeteners that apparently “come from baby sugar cane” and somehow, miraculously possess all the sweetness but no calories… I know that you know better than that!
Sucralose (sold at Pick’nPay under the brand Splenda as well as just Sucralose) may not penetrate the blood brain barrier as aspartame does, hence entering the brain and creating neuro-toxic havoc at the brain center, but it CAN adversely affect the body in several ways because it IS a chemical substance and not natural sugar. It is simply a chlorinated sugar. A molecule of sugar chemically manipulated to surrender three hydroxyl groups (hydrogen + oxygen) and replace them with three chlorine atoms. It has a powerful marketing team propelling it forward and again, if weight loss is all you care about, then go ahead and use it! You will look pretty in your coffin, if nothing else… (Sorry! Don’t mean to be rude, just an issue that I am very passionate about).
So what can you do then, when no matter how many apples you chow, that sugar craving just doesn’t go away?
Here are two options that I found, which (I think) are quite acceptable – a safe compromise:
Stevia: Stevia is a tropical plant native to South America . Its extract has up to 300 times the sweetness of sugar. It has a negligible effect on blood glucose, in fact, it even enhances glucose tolerance; therefore, it is attractive as a natural sweetener to diabetics and others on carbohydrate-controlled diets. It is not calorie free, like the artificial sweeteners, but because of its sweetness, much less is used, therefore controlling the overall calorie count.
Xylitol: Xylitol is a five-carbon sugar alcohol that is used as a sugar substitute. Xylitol is a naturally occurring sweetener found in the fibers of many fruits and vegetables, including various berries, corn husks, oats, and mushrooms. It can be extracted from corn fibre, birch, raspberries, plums, and corn. One teaspoon of Xylitol has less than 10 calories, vs 15 in the same amount of sugar. It contains zero net effective carbohydrates, whereas sugar contains 4 grams per 5 mL. Xylitol has virtually no aftertaste, and is advertised as "safe for diabetics and individuals with hyperglycemia". This is because sugar-alcohols have less impact on a person's blood sugar than regular sugars.
Xylitol is also a "tooth-friendly" sugar. In addition to not encouraging tooth decay (by replacing dietary sugars), xylitol may actively aid in repairing minor cavities caused by dental caries. Possessing approximately 40% less food energy, xylitol is a low-calorie alternative to table sugar. Absorbed more slowly than sugar, it doesn't contribute to high blood sugar levels or the resulting hyperglycemia caused by insufficient insulin response.
Xylitol is widely available at PnP, Checkers, Wellness Warehouse, Clicks, Dischem, etc. (in the health food section). It looks and “feels” like sugar – in recipes you can substitute like for like, i.e. one spoon of sugar for one spoon of Xylitol.
The one and only side effect I know about is it’s laxative properties when consumed in excess. But then may be that’s a good thing… Helps with portion control.
What I am trying to say is: avoid all forms of sugar like the plague and when you just can’t resist it, opt for the natural sugar-substitutes. They are not “free” calorie-speaking, but are much better for you.
All the best!
Ciao!
Jeni
In order to keep the amount of sugar floating through your blood vessels at around a teaspoon, your body releases insulin whenever you eat foods that result in sugar entering your blood stream. Most carbs fit this category. Sugar, most sweeteners, grains, cookies, pastries, cakes, pasta, and starchy vegetables like potatoes all lead to a release of sugar into your blood stream. Insulin works by stimulating your cells to sponge up this excess sugar out of your blood stream. Once inside your cells, sugar is used for energy, with any excess amount being converted to adipose tissue (i.e. fat). Insulin also happens to promote fat storage. Nice!
If you eat sugary foods or too many processed carbohydrates for long enough, your body will have released so much insulin that it will begin to lose its sensitivity to insulin, which means that your cells won’t receive as strong a signal to sponge up excess sugar out of your blood. This will lead to excess sugar floating around your blood vessels and all the health problems that come with this scenario. (Your doctor will probably call this pre-diabetes.)
Basically, if you start the day with sugar (sugary cereal, sugary juice, etc...) you will start the roller-coaster of glucose/insulin and you'll end up having to continue to consume sugar throughout the day. Bad plan!
The, issue, however, is that most people have no idea how many different “disguises” sugar can take in packaged foods! So, you really need to educate yourself into what is what and once you know – read those labels!
Here is the BADDIES list:
Sucrose: This is pure white table sugar. Just another name for it…
But you knew that, right? How about the following? They are all different names for essentially the same thing – sugar:
Glucose, fructose, lactose, maltose, invert sugar, glucose syrup, maple syrup, brown sugar, honey, raw sugar, molasses, black treacle, golden syrup, dextrose, levulose, sorbitol, maltodextrin…
Basically anything ending with –ose is a type of sugar, that you would be better off without.
High Fructose Corn Syrup: This is a really bad one! It originates in the States circa 1977, when import tariffs were imposed on sugar, so food manufacturers turned to this “monster” as a financially viable alternative. It is basically corn syrup that has been enzyme-processed to increase its fructose content and then mixed with pure corn syrup (100% glucose) to become “high fructose corn syrup”. You would really do good staying away from that one as it really wracks havoc in your intestines. HFCS is often found in biscuits, pastries and soft drinks. For example, Coca Cola uses sugar or HFCS in its recipe, depending on the country in which the drink is manufactured (i.e. what is the cheaper raw material).
Aspartame: So you think, "Well I'll be smart and get Coke Zero!" Bad idea! While aspartame does not contain any calories, the stuff is possibly worse than sugar! Something like 20 types of cancer have been linked to aspartame and while non of the studies has provided “conclusive” evidence, are you interested in being one of the lab rats? Aspartame was rejected by FDA twice, before in 1983, Dr. Arthur Hayes (then commissioner of FDA) overwrote his own decision and approved it, two months before his retirement. Strangely enough, he then accepted a position as Senior Medical Advisor to Burson Marsteller (NutraSweet’s PR agency)… Enough said… You make your own choices.
Sucralose: The “new age” sweeteners that apparently “come from baby sugar cane” and somehow, miraculously possess all the sweetness but no calories… I know that you know better than that!
Sucralose (sold at Pick’nPay under the brand Splenda as well as just Sucralose) may not penetrate the blood brain barrier as aspartame does, hence entering the brain and creating neuro-toxic havoc at the brain center, but it CAN adversely affect the body in several ways because it IS a chemical substance and not natural sugar. It is simply a chlorinated sugar. A molecule of sugar chemically manipulated to surrender three hydroxyl groups (hydrogen + oxygen) and replace them with three chlorine atoms. It has a powerful marketing team propelling it forward and again, if weight loss is all you care about, then go ahead and use it! You will look pretty in your coffin, if nothing else… (Sorry! Don’t mean to be rude, just an issue that I am very passionate about).
So what can you do then, when no matter how many apples you chow, that sugar craving just doesn’t go away?
Here are two options that I found, which (I think) are quite acceptable – a safe compromise:
Stevia: Stevia is a tropical plant native to South America . Its extract has up to 300 times the sweetness of sugar. It has a negligible effect on blood glucose, in fact, it even enhances glucose tolerance; therefore, it is attractive as a natural sweetener to diabetics and others on carbohydrate-controlled diets. It is not calorie free, like the artificial sweeteners, but because of its sweetness, much less is used, therefore controlling the overall calorie count.
Xylitol: Xylitol is a five-carbon sugar alcohol that is used as a sugar substitute. Xylitol is a naturally occurring sweetener found in the fibers of many fruits and vegetables, including various berries, corn husks, oats, and mushrooms. It can be extracted from corn fibre, birch, raspberries, plums, and corn. One teaspoon of Xylitol has less than 10 calories, vs 15 in the same amount of sugar. It contains zero net effective carbohydrates, whereas sugar contains 4 grams per 5 mL. Xylitol has virtually no aftertaste, and is advertised as "safe for diabetics and individuals with hyperglycemia". This is because sugar-alcohols have less impact on a person's blood sugar than regular sugars.
Xylitol is also a "tooth-friendly" sugar. In addition to not encouraging tooth decay (by replacing dietary sugars), xylitol may actively aid in repairing minor cavities caused by dental caries. Possessing approximately 40% less food energy, xylitol is a low-calorie alternative to table sugar. Absorbed more slowly than sugar, it doesn't contribute to high blood sugar levels or the resulting hyperglycemia caused by insufficient insulin response.
Xylitol is widely available at PnP, Checkers, Wellness Warehouse, Clicks, Dischem, etc. (in the health food section). It looks and “feels” like sugar – in recipes you can substitute like for like, i.e. one spoon of sugar for one spoon of Xylitol.
The one and only side effect I know about is it’s laxative properties when consumed in excess. But then may be that’s a good thing… Helps with portion control.
What I am trying to say is: avoid all forms of sugar like the plague and when you just can’t resist it, opt for the natural sugar-substitutes. They are not “free” calorie-speaking, but are much better for you.
All the best!
Ciao!
Jeni
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Let's Talk Figures
Hey!
Summer is practically here and “bikini panic” is definitely all around me!
“What am I going to do? I am still 3 sizes over my goal weight? May be I should just skip Camps Bay this summer!” (I get a variation on this theme at least twice a day!)
Here is what I can do to help…
Sadly, I CANNOT tell you that it’s all ok, that it is “just water” or that you can blame your hormones/genes/circumstances for this. (I can, but it still doesn’t solve the problem!). The most I can do on that front is to point you to a cool website that recommends the most flattering beach wear for your shape (www.sofeminine.co.uk).
It’s something…
But now, to get to the core of the issue – why are you not losing weight. You eat clean, exercise several times a week, stay away from alcohol and starch and yet, nothing! What is the issue?
It is all in the maths. Yep, weight loss is all about mathematics. Eat more calories than you burn and you will store excess fat. Even if it is a lettuce leaf! Yes, I know, you have heard this before.
So, tell me, off the top of your head:
How many calories do you eat a day?
How many do you need?
What is your percentage deficit?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions, then you probably are not eating as “clean” as you think and your weight loss efforts are, at best, “opportunistic”. It’s like trying to shoot a target in front of you while looking to the left – you might get it right, but if you do, it will be pure chance!
So, today I will give you a brief tutorial into the figures of weight loss and your assignment will be to do the math, calculate your needs and plan from there. (You know you can always e-mail or call me if you get stuck, right!)
And here is the simplest way of calculating your calorie needs.
Take your weight in kilograms and multiply it by 2.2. This is your weight in pounds. Now take this number and multiply it by:
- 14, if you are mostly sedentary
- 17, if you exercise 3-4 times a week at moderate pace
- 20, if you exercise relatively vigorously most days of the week.
For example, if you weigh 65kg, then your weight in pounds is 143 (65x2.2). If you exercise on average three times a week, then your daily calorie requirements are in the region of 2,431 calories (143x17). Remember, this is the amount of calories you need to MAINTAIN your current weight.
If you are following this blog, let’s assume you are trying to lose weight. So, you need to eat less than that (this is what they call “calorie deficit”) to give your body the opportunity to use some of the stored fat, right? You may remember that we spoke about your body going into “starvation mode” if you cut your calories too drastically? This is where the second rule comes to play.
When cutting your caloric intake, never go beyond 20% of your total needs. It is counter-productive and chances are, you will feel too hungry to maintain your eating plan in the long run. Now, if we go back to our fictitious 65kg lady who exercises 3 times a week and needs 2,431 calories a day, we can calculate her “reduced nutritional needs” (i.e. cutting 20% of her daily calories to allow for some fat burning) we are looking at 1,945 calories a day. (2,431 less 486, i.e. 20% of 2,431, gives us 1,945.)
OK, so we have our first figure – the total daily calories.
From here, we are going to do two more calculations before we are done.
Firstly, we are going to estimate our example’s meal values. In other words, if Helen (I am tired of calling her example, so I gave her a name!) eats 6 meals a day, then each meal will need to be approximately 1,945/6 = 325 calories. So, if Helen decided to go to Woolies or Kauai or anywhere to pick up something for lunch, she should look at the label and ensure that her meal is not too far out of that amount. (Note that no one is recommending that Helen buys lunch – it is far better that she prepares it at home so she knows exactly what’s in it, but hey… life happens!)
Secondly, we are going to calculate how much of each macronutrient Helen needs. 40:40:20 is generally a good (and relatively easy to maintain) ratio for people trying to lose weight. This means 40% carbs, 40% protein and 20% fat. While these don’t have to balance precisely for each meal, you need to tally them up at the end of the day. This calculation can get a bit tricky as fat has twice the calorie density of carbs and protein, so pay attention.
40% of 1,945 is 778. Helen needs 778 calories from protein and carbohydrates respectively every day. There are 4 calories in a gram for these two elements, so we are looking at 195 grams of protein and carbs.
The remaining 389 calories (1,945 – 778 from carbs – 778 from protein) will be derived from fat. 389 calories of fat is approximately 43g of fat. I know it sounds like a lot, but fat has a habit of sneaking up on you, so keep your eyes open for it! The salad dressing, the skin on the chicken, the rind of the chop – it’s all fat.
Now, what you can do is put your requirements down on a piece of paper and try to figure out what foods you are going to incorporate in your menu to achieve your goal. Stuck? Post a reply and I will work it out for you!
Ciao!
Jeni
Summer is practically here and “bikini panic” is definitely all around me!
“What am I going to do? I am still 3 sizes over my goal weight? May be I should just skip Camps Bay this summer!” (I get a variation on this theme at least twice a day!)
Here is what I can do to help…
Sadly, I CANNOT tell you that it’s all ok, that it is “just water” or that you can blame your hormones/genes/circumstances for this. (I can, but it still doesn’t solve the problem!). The most I can do on that front is to point you to a cool website that recommends the most flattering beach wear for your shape (www.sofeminine.co.uk).
It’s something…
But now, to get to the core of the issue – why are you not losing weight. You eat clean, exercise several times a week, stay away from alcohol and starch and yet, nothing! What is the issue?
It is all in the maths. Yep, weight loss is all about mathematics. Eat more calories than you burn and you will store excess fat. Even if it is a lettuce leaf! Yes, I know, you have heard this before.
So, tell me, off the top of your head:
How many calories do you eat a day?
How many do you need?
What is your percentage deficit?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions, then you probably are not eating as “clean” as you think and your weight loss efforts are, at best, “opportunistic”. It’s like trying to shoot a target in front of you while looking to the left – you might get it right, but if you do, it will be pure chance!
So, today I will give you a brief tutorial into the figures of weight loss and your assignment will be to do the math, calculate your needs and plan from there. (You know you can always e-mail or call me if you get stuck, right!)
And here is the simplest way of calculating your calorie needs.
Take your weight in kilograms and multiply it by 2.2. This is your weight in pounds. Now take this number and multiply it by:
- 14, if you are mostly sedentary
- 17, if you exercise 3-4 times a week at moderate pace
- 20, if you exercise relatively vigorously most days of the week.
For example, if you weigh 65kg, then your weight in pounds is 143 (65x2.2). If you exercise on average three times a week, then your daily calorie requirements are in the region of 2,431 calories (143x17). Remember, this is the amount of calories you need to MAINTAIN your current weight.
If you are following this blog, let’s assume you are trying to lose weight. So, you need to eat less than that (this is what they call “calorie deficit”) to give your body the opportunity to use some of the stored fat, right? You may remember that we spoke about your body going into “starvation mode” if you cut your calories too drastically? This is where the second rule comes to play.
When cutting your caloric intake, never go beyond 20% of your total needs. It is counter-productive and chances are, you will feel too hungry to maintain your eating plan in the long run. Now, if we go back to our fictitious 65kg lady who exercises 3 times a week and needs 2,431 calories a day, we can calculate her “reduced nutritional needs” (i.e. cutting 20% of her daily calories to allow for some fat burning) we are looking at 1,945 calories a day. (2,431 less 486, i.e. 20% of 2,431, gives us 1,945.)
OK, so we have our first figure – the total daily calories.
From here, we are going to do two more calculations before we are done.
Firstly, we are going to estimate our example’s meal values. In other words, if Helen (I am tired of calling her example, so I gave her a name!) eats 6 meals a day, then each meal will need to be approximately 1,945/6 = 325 calories. So, if Helen decided to go to Woolies or Kauai or anywhere to pick up something for lunch, she should look at the label and ensure that her meal is not too far out of that amount. (Note that no one is recommending that Helen buys lunch – it is far better that she prepares it at home so she knows exactly what’s in it, but hey… life happens!)
Secondly, we are going to calculate how much of each macronutrient Helen needs. 40:40:20 is generally a good (and relatively easy to maintain) ratio for people trying to lose weight. This means 40% carbs, 40% protein and 20% fat. While these don’t have to balance precisely for each meal, you need to tally them up at the end of the day. This calculation can get a bit tricky as fat has twice the calorie density of carbs and protein, so pay attention.
40% of 1,945 is 778. Helen needs 778 calories from protein and carbohydrates respectively every day. There are 4 calories in a gram for these two elements, so we are looking at 195 grams of protein and carbs.
The remaining 389 calories (1,945 – 778 from carbs – 778 from protein) will be derived from fat. 389 calories of fat is approximately 43g of fat. I know it sounds like a lot, but fat has a habit of sneaking up on you, so keep your eyes open for it! The salad dressing, the skin on the chicken, the rind of the chop – it’s all fat.
Now, what you can do is put your requirements down on a piece of paper and try to figure out what foods you are going to incorporate in your menu to achieve your goal. Stuck? Post a reply and I will work it out for you!
Ciao!
Jeni
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Help! Cardio is making me FAT!
Here is a question for you: What goes through your head when you are planning your exercise sessions? I mean, do you ever actually sit down to think about what you are trying to achieve through exercise and consecutively, what would be the best exercise routine to achieve this goal?
If you’re like most people you’ve probably just fallen into the rut of doing the same things from workout to workout with little consideration as to WHY you’re doing them. For example, most people are presented with a beginner programme when they join the gym which includes some basic exercises for each muscle group and is essentially designed to “introduce” you to the environment, the equipment, the routine, etc. The problem comes when this programme is being followed blindly for weeks, months or even years without ever taking the time to think about whether or not the programme is right for your particular goals. No wonder so few people achieve the results they desire from their training… they don’t even know what their exercises are supposed to do!
It is simple: exercises are tools that you need to use to sculpt the body you desire. In order to achieve your training goals you need to use the right tools! Choosing the wrong “tool kit” will make it harder (or may be even impossible) for you to reach your goals. It’s like trying to drill a hole using a hammer! It simply doesn’t make sense…
But here comes the twist: it is not only the TYPE of exercise that is important, but also the INTENSITY and DURATION. I know this probably sounds way to “scientific” so I will explain it through a simple example – cardio training!
Most women incorporate cardio into their training routines primarily as a method of weight control and body fat reduction. Using all sorts of cardio options from rowers to steppers, treadmills to bikes and cross-trainers to ‘aerobics’ classes, women can be found spending a disproportionate amount of their total training time on exercises that… …wait for it… …may actually be making them fatter!
That’s right, it’s not a typo. The much hailed panacea of aerobic training can actually contribute to making women (and men too) proportionately fatter than before they started training. Talk about using the wrong tool!
You see, the way the human body works is paradoxically simple yet complicated at the same time. The simple part of the energy system equation tells us that exercises that are performed at a lower intensity (like walking) use fat as the primary fuel source and oxygen as the catalyst. Indeed, the very term ‘aerobic’ means ‘with oxygen’. By definition these activities are less taxing and are able to be sustained for longer, almost indefinite periods of time. So aerobic = low intensity fat burning. Right?
The twist, again…
The longer we engage in higher level aerobic activities such as those typically included in a workout, the more we secrete a nasty little group of hormones, with the stress hormone ‘cortisol’ chief amongst them. One of the lesser known qualities of cortisol is that it is catabolic in nature, meaning that it breaks down muscle tissue along with fat in order to metabolise this stored energy for immediate fuel.
Why is this bad?
Well, it’s our muscles that give shape and definition to our bodies. If we lose muscle faster than we lose fat then proportionately we’re fatter… even if the scales tell us we’re several pounds lighter! To add to that, it is our lean tissues (our muscles) that burn the fuel (calories) we eat to create movement. So, any loss of muscle tissue will result in slowing down of your metabolism. We have spoken enough about why you don’t want that to happen, right? (See old blog posts if you are not sure)
So, am I saying that cardio is “bad” for you?
No, far from it!
Cardiovascular training is extremely beneficial in maintaining a healthy heart, preventing disease and keeping surplus body-fat at bay, but over-emphasising cardio in your training plan will NOT speed up your weight loss.
What I am suggesting is to give “anaerobics” a try. Anaerobics is basically, the opposite of aerobics… really! It is an activity carried out “without oxygen”. (OK, this is not really true, strictly speaking… we are never really without oxygen; it’s just that these activities are performed at such high intensity that oxygen cannot meet the body’s demands.) You may have heard of it under the heading “interval training” – shorter bursts of high intensity exercise, intermittent with slower pace breaks that help you recover, before you go again.
The benefits of this type of training are huge:
- Higher calorie consumption;
- Anabolic in nature (i.e. it promotes lean tissue growth);
- Increased metabolism
- And my personal favourite: Shorter, more effective workouts (you are looking at 20 min session vs. 45-60 minutes if you were to do “traditional” cardio)
So, enough academics... Practically speaking, this is what you do: Climb onto your favourite cardio machine and do 2-3 minutes of moderate intensity as a warm up. Then go for 1 minute of the highest possible level you can bear, followed by 2 minutes back at your moderate pace. Now do it again. And again! 5 times in total. (Come on, it’s only one minute!). Now 3 minutes of cool down. Here… you are done!
You can also try “climbing” levels (i.e. start at moderate for 1 minute, then hard for 1 minute than harder for another and all out for the fourth minute). Repeat this “cycle” 4-5 times for a full workout.
There are various other “sequences” you can use, but don’t worry about this just yet. Focus on the 20 minutes! You really need to do this, because the kind of intensity I am talking about will “require” it from you. That’s the key to making anaerobic intervals work! If you can hold a conversation during or immediately after the activity then you didn’t come out of your aerobic zone and need to put forward a little more effort next time.
There you have it. Probably the most effective, yet least utilised, fat loss method there is. Give intervals a try, I mean a fair try and you’ll be amazed at what you can achieve in a relatively short period of time. The results can be quite spectacular!
Just one last thing… don’t expect it to be “a walk in the park”! It definitely isn’t! Well, let me know how it goes!
Ciao!
Jeni
If you’re like most people you’ve probably just fallen into the rut of doing the same things from workout to workout with little consideration as to WHY you’re doing them. For example, most people are presented with a beginner programme when they join the gym which includes some basic exercises for each muscle group and is essentially designed to “introduce” you to the environment, the equipment, the routine, etc. The problem comes when this programme is being followed blindly for weeks, months or even years without ever taking the time to think about whether or not the programme is right for your particular goals. No wonder so few people achieve the results they desire from their training… they don’t even know what their exercises are supposed to do!
It is simple: exercises are tools that you need to use to sculpt the body you desire. In order to achieve your training goals you need to use the right tools! Choosing the wrong “tool kit” will make it harder (or may be even impossible) for you to reach your goals. It’s like trying to drill a hole using a hammer! It simply doesn’t make sense…
But here comes the twist: it is not only the TYPE of exercise that is important, but also the INTENSITY and DURATION. I know this probably sounds way to “scientific” so I will explain it through a simple example – cardio training!
Most women incorporate cardio into their training routines primarily as a method of weight control and body fat reduction. Using all sorts of cardio options from rowers to steppers, treadmills to bikes and cross-trainers to ‘aerobics’ classes, women can be found spending a disproportionate amount of their total training time on exercises that… …wait for it… …may actually be making them fatter!
That’s right, it’s not a typo. The much hailed panacea of aerobic training can actually contribute to making women (and men too) proportionately fatter than before they started training. Talk about using the wrong tool!
You see, the way the human body works is paradoxically simple yet complicated at the same time. The simple part of the energy system equation tells us that exercises that are performed at a lower intensity (like walking) use fat as the primary fuel source and oxygen as the catalyst. Indeed, the very term ‘aerobic’ means ‘with oxygen’. By definition these activities are less taxing and are able to be sustained for longer, almost indefinite periods of time. So aerobic = low intensity fat burning. Right?
The twist, again…
The longer we engage in higher level aerobic activities such as those typically included in a workout, the more we secrete a nasty little group of hormones, with the stress hormone ‘cortisol’ chief amongst them. One of the lesser known qualities of cortisol is that it is catabolic in nature, meaning that it breaks down muscle tissue along with fat in order to metabolise this stored energy for immediate fuel.
Why is this bad?
Well, it’s our muscles that give shape and definition to our bodies. If we lose muscle faster than we lose fat then proportionately we’re fatter… even if the scales tell us we’re several pounds lighter! To add to that, it is our lean tissues (our muscles) that burn the fuel (calories) we eat to create movement. So, any loss of muscle tissue will result in slowing down of your metabolism. We have spoken enough about why you don’t want that to happen, right? (See old blog posts if you are not sure)
So, am I saying that cardio is “bad” for you?
No, far from it!
Cardiovascular training is extremely beneficial in maintaining a healthy heart, preventing disease and keeping surplus body-fat at bay, but over-emphasising cardio in your training plan will NOT speed up your weight loss.
What I am suggesting is to give “anaerobics” a try. Anaerobics is basically, the opposite of aerobics… really! It is an activity carried out “without oxygen”. (OK, this is not really true, strictly speaking… we are never really without oxygen; it’s just that these activities are performed at such high intensity that oxygen cannot meet the body’s demands.) You may have heard of it under the heading “interval training” – shorter bursts of high intensity exercise, intermittent with slower pace breaks that help you recover, before you go again.
The benefits of this type of training are huge:
- Higher calorie consumption;
- Anabolic in nature (i.e. it promotes lean tissue growth);
- Increased metabolism
- And my personal favourite: Shorter, more effective workouts (you are looking at 20 min session vs. 45-60 minutes if you were to do “traditional” cardio)
So, enough academics... Practically speaking, this is what you do: Climb onto your favourite cardio machine and do 2-3 minutes of moderate intensity as a warm up. Then go for 1 minute of the highest possible level you can bear, followed by 2 minutes back at your moderate pace. Now do it again. And again! 5 times in total. (Come on, it’s only one minute!). Now 3 minutes of cool down. Here… you are done!
You can also try “climbing” levels (i.e. start at moderate for 1 minute, then hard for 1 minute than harder for another and all out for the fourth minute). Repeat this “cycle” 4-5 times for a full workout.
There are various other “sequences” you can use, but don’t worry about this just yet. Focus on the 20 minutes! You really need to do this, because the kind of intensity I am talking about will “require” it from you. That’s the key to making anaerobic intervals work! If you can hold a conversation during or immediately after the activity then you didn’t come out of your aerobic zone and need to put forward a little more effort next time.
There you have it. Probably the most effective, yet least utilised, fat loss method there is. Give intervals a try, I mean a fair try and you’ll be amazed at what you can achieve in a relatively short period of time. The results can be quite spectacular!
Just one last thing… don’t expect it to be “a walk in the park”! It definitely isn’t! Well, let me know how it goes!
Ciao!
Jeni
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Best Alcohol for Fat Loss
Not only is it my birthday tomorrow (Happy Birthday to Me!) but I have 6 clients whose celebrations are also fast approaching. Hence, I have been dealing with the question regarding alcohol and fat loss (in some form or another) for several weeks now. So, let’s get the facts out and get this question out of the way.
Firstly, I am noticing that whenever the subject is approached, clients keep asking the same question over and over in different ways because in essence they would like to get a different answer. Unfortunately, no matter how you look at it… it is a philosophical argument. Simply put:
THERE IS NO AMOUNT OR TYPE OF ALCOHOL THAT IS BENEFICIAL TO YOUR WEIGHT LOSS EFFORTS.
You wanna lose weight? You have to skip the cocktails! It is that simple!
“Is white wine better for me than hard liquor when I am trying to lose weight?” sounds the same as “Are jelly beans better than candy bars?”. Bottom line: Cut all of them out if you are serious about losing weight!
But clearly this is easier said than done, so for now, we are going to deal with “if you have to drink, what can you chose”. So, we are going to assume that:
a) you ARE going to drink and
b) there is a BETTER choice
Well, here are the basic rules:
o Do not drink alcohol while trying to lose weight. Alcohol suppresses fat oxidisation not to mention the calorie punch it packs up.
o When trying to maintain your weight, you may consume alcohol in moderation. “Moderation” means 1-2 drinks on some days of the week, but definitely not more than 3-4 days a week.
o Always consider the amount of calories you consume in a glass and ensure they are traded off in your daily plan. In other words, if you are going to drink an extra 300 calories, either reduce the amount you eat at other meals, or break up a bit of a sweat on the treadmill, or both.
If you absolutely have to have a drink:
o Chose light beer over regular
o Have white wine or champagne over liquor (or a spritzer made of ½ white wine and ½ soda)
o Avoid cocktails like the plague (even Bloody Mary’s)!
A glass of chardonnay is worth about 90 calories. A glass of champagne is roughly the same. A tot of whiskey – about 60, but that excludes the soda used to mix it. A double vodka and Red Bull can add about 300 calories to your intake and a Margarita – about 500! When you consider that you will probably have two or three drinks and there will be finger snacks around too, you will soon realise that a single “not-so-good” outing can knock back 3-4 days of good work. And if you do that more than once a week… you will sadly be less-than-successful in your weight loss endeavour.
Ciao!
Jeni
Firstly, I am noticing that whenever the subject is approached, clients keep asking the same question over and over in different ways because in essence they would like to get a different answer. Unfortunately, no matter how you look at it… it is a philosophical argument. Simply put:
THERE IS NO AMOUNT OR TYPE OF ALCOHOL THAT IS BENEFICIAL TO YOUR WEIGHT LOSS EFFORTS.
You wanna lose weight? You have to skip the cocktails! It is that simple!
“Is white wine better for me than hard liquor when I am trying to lose weight?” sounds the same as “Are jelly beans better than candy bars?”. Bottom line: Cut all of them out if you are serious about losing weight!
But clearly this is easier said than done, so for now, we are going to deal with “if you have to drink, what can you chose”. So, we are going to assume that:
a) you ARE going to drink and
b) there is a BETTER choice
Well, here are the basic rules:
o Do not drink alcohol while trying to lose weight. Alcohol suppresses fat oxidisation not to mention the calorie punch it packs up.
o When trying to maintain your weight, you may consume alcohol in moderation. “Moderation” means 1-2 drinks on some days of the week, but definitely not more than 3-4 days a week.
o Always consider the amount of calories you consume in a glass and ensure they are traded off in your daily plan. In other words, if you are going to drink an extra 300 calories, either reduce the amount you eat at other meals, or break up a bit of a sweat on the treadmill, or both.
If you absolutely have to have a drink:
o Chose light beer over regular
o Have white wine or champagne over liquor (or a spritzer made of ½ white wine and ½ soda)
o Avoid cocktails like the plague (even Bloody Mary’s)!
A glass of chardonnay is worth about 90 calories. A glass of champagne is roughly the same. A tot of whiskey – about 60, but that excludes the soda used to mix it. A double vodka and Red Bull can add about 300 calories to your intake and a Margarita – about 500! When you consider that you will probably have two or three drinks and there will be finger snacks around too, you will soon realise that a single “not-so-good” outing can knock back 3-4 days of good work. And if you do that more than once a week… you will sadly be less-than-successful in your weight loss endeavour.
Ciao!
Jeni
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