Not so Common Ways to Lose Weight

In the US we consume a lot of pre-packaged, highly processed foods with additives, preservatives, and chemicals that have been proven to affect our health adversely. It’s not just genetics and personal behaviors that contribute to obesity.

Researchers are finding out more that other factors play a major role as to why the rate of obesity continues to climb. We not only have to be conscious of our food choices and food portions but we also need to know what goes into the food that we buy especially if they are processed.  It is vital to know the potential risks brought about by technology so we may avoid them in our continued efforts to manage obesity.

Factors that contribute to obesity

 §  Increase intake of beverages containing artificial or non-nutritive sweeteners

 §  Lack of sleep

 §  Chronic stress

 §  Inadequate physical activity

 §  Eating too much

 §  Exposure to harmful chemicals in food

Ways to Lose Weight

v Avoid beverages including soda that contain artificial (or non-nutritive or chemical) sweeteners.

The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio (2005) conducted an 8-year study on diet soda and weight gain. They showed that there was a 41 percent increase in risk of being overweight for every can or bottle of diet soft drink a person consumes each day. They also showed that diet soda drinkers had 70% greater increases in waistline growth than non-drinkers 9 ½ years later. Those who consumed 2 or more diet sodas a day had waistline growth 500% greater than non-drinkers.

The same researchers found that the mice had elevated fasting glucose levels, indicating diabetes or pre-diabetes condition.

A Purdue University study released in 2008 reported that rats on diets containing the artificial sweetener saccharin gained more weight than rats given sugary food.

            Diet drinks like any sweet taste will increase insulin which blocks the body’s

            ability to burn fat and therefore increase the storage of fat.  In diet sodas there is

no sugar available for energy. Blood sugar drops, you become sluggish, and then

the feeling of hunger kicks in. You eat more and you gain weight.  

            These beverages give you the feeling of fullness but because they are calorie free

they do not curb hunger and so you will tend to overcompensate and eat more.

            Diet soda contains sodium which intensifies thirst.

            It is important to note that no published study has demonstrated that drinking diet

soda will cause a person to lose weight.

        

v Get adequate sleep

According to researchers at New York Obesity Nutrition Research Center (St Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital) people who lack sleep consume about 300 calories more a day. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition stated that sleep deprivation can cause people to gain extra pounds.

With inadequate sleep the brain does not produce the normal amounts of feel-good substances serotonin and dopamine. To compensate, you crave sweet foods that will make you release these substances. Furthermore, with hormones off, your body lacks the sensitivity when to stop eating.

Being awake more hours gives you more time to snack usually on high carbohydrate, high fat foods.

The body burns the most calories during REM, a deeply restful sleep. Less sleep means less time in Rapid Eye Movement resulting in weight gain.

About 7-9 hours of sleep is recommended. Exercise during the day, do relaxing pre-bedtime activities, and avoid caffeinated food and beverages at least 3 hours before bedtime.

Foods that help with sleep include a combination of complex carbohydrates, protein, and calcium.

²  The amino acid tryptophan is found in high protein foods that has a calming effect on the brain. It is converted to serotonin and melatonin which makes it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep. 

²  Foods high in potassium and magnesium help relax muscles.

²  Foods high in calcium promote sleep.

Examples of foods for sleep:

²  A small bowl of oatmeal with milk

²  Peanut butter on whole wheat bread

²  Turkey sandwich with whole wheat bread

²  Apple with cheese

²  Yogurt with low fat granola

²  Banana and a handful of almonds

²  Bran muffin with a glass of milk

²  Cherries – natural source of melatonin, a chemical that regulates sleep.

Researchers recommend eating them 1 hour before bedtime.

v De-Stress

During chronic stress your body produces more cortisol and insulin. These 2 hormones stimulate hunger and cravings for sweets and high fat foods. These foods become comfort food with chronic stress. This contributes to fat storage in the abdomen putting you at risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Eating makes you feel good, calm and relaxed and so you want to eat more and the cycle goes on.

Combining protein with complex carbohydrates can help reduce cravings for sweets. For example having cheese and crackers, cottage cheese with fresh cut up fruit, tuna on whole wheat pita bread, or cut up apples with walnuts and yogurt will help improve your mood and reduce anxiety.

Getting organized, prioritizing, being flexible, and setting limits for yourself and others may help you handle stress better.

Relaxing and sharing your concerns with family and friends might help ease that tension. Social interaction increases oxytocin, a hormone that decreases blood pressure and lowers the effects of stress. Oxytocin raises cholecystokinin, a peptide hormone, produced in the gastrointestinal tract to control appetite.

Exercise or meditation can also help.

v Get Moving

Physical activity can help you stay at or get to a healthy weight. It can help you sleep well at night. It can help decrease your chances of becoming depressed.

Exercise will naturally release feel-good hormones including serotonin and dopamine.  This is important to happy and calm feeling.

Adults should do the equivalent of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week or about 20 minutes a day. For vigorous intensity the recommendation is 75 minutes each week or 10 minutes a day.

Moderate physical activities include:

²  Walking briskly (about 3 ½ miles per hour)

²  Bicycling (less than 10 miles per hour)

²  General gardening (raking, trimming shrubs)

²  Dancing

²  Golf (walking and carrying clubs)

²  Water aerobics

²  Tennis (doubles)

                               

Vigorous physical activities include:

²  Running/jogging (5 miles per hour)

²  Walking very fast (4 ½ miles per hour)

²  Bicycling (more than 10 miles per hour)

²  Heavy yard work, such as chopping wood

²  Swimming (freestyle laps)

²  Aerobics

²  Basketball (competitive)

²  Tennis (singles)

v Limit your food selections

²  It’s easier to stray from good eating habits when you have a lot of choices for a meal.  

²  If possible limit variety and minimize portions at dinner because it is the meal closest to bedtime. Try to make it lean and simple.

²  One-dish meals where you have your protein, starch and vegetables in one casserole are easy to prepare and satisfying.

²  Become more conscious of what and how much you eat.

²  Choose smaller portions or lower calorie options when eating out. Entrees these days are huge. Many restaurants now offer smaller portions of some of their main entrees as appetizers.  You can order a salad on the side to complete the meal.

²  Go over the description of the menu items and choose the ones prepared without extra fat such as cream, rich sauce, or high fat gravy. Go for au jus instead.

²  Start at home by preparing the right number of servings for the people eating. You will eat more knowing there is a lot of food in front of you.

²  Eating breakfast has been associated with weight loss and improved nutrient intake.

²  Make sure you include a whole grain bread or cereal with fruit or juice and lean protein for your first meal of the day. This will prevent you from snacking or overeating at the next meal.

²  Don’t starve or deny yourself. Keep healthful foods such as fruits, nuts, cut up veggies, whole grain crackers, and low fat cheese that you can easily help yourself with. If you don’t buy food that adds inches to your waist you won’t seek them at all.

v  Be aware that there are potentially harmful chemicals that promote obesity.

Biologist Bruce Blumberg of UC Irvine coined the word obesogens to describe obesity-promoting chemicals. They are used in plastics, food packaging, pesticides and cosmetics that can trigger dramatic increases in body fat.  They are endocrine disruptors. These natural and man-made chemicals work by changing the regulatory system that controls your weight—increasing the fat cells you have, decreasing the calories you burn, and even changing the way your body manages hunger.

         

Ø Some of the common sources of obesogens are:

²  Faucet – Pesticides from the soil find their way into your tap water.

·         Atrazine is the obesogen in tap water. It slows thyroid hormone metabolism.

·         Tributylin is a fungicide painted on bottom of boats that stimulates fat cell production.

²  Air fresheners

·         They contain phthalates. They are chemicals that make plastic flexible such as vinyl. They lower metabolism and testosterone levels that can cause weight gain and loss of muscle mass.

                                      

²  BPA (bisphenol A) – they harden plastics found in cans, water bottles, and pitchers.

·         It can increase insulin resistance causing type 2 diabetes. It has also been linked to cancer and miscarriages in animal studies.

·         It has been banned from baby bottles but still found in sports water bottles and on the inside of almost all food and beverage cans.                            

²  Nonstick pans and microwave popcorn

·         Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) – a chemical that makes pans non-stick

They affect the thyroid glands that regulate hormones that control weight.

They are found in Teflon pans, in microwave popcorn bags, and pizza boxes.

Ø Ways to avoid obesogens:

§  Install a granular activated carbon filter on your faucet to filter out chemicals such as atrazine.

§  Use glass, stainless steel, or ceramic dish instead of plastics to store fluids and foods. Use glass, ceramic or stoneware container to heat foods and drinks in the microwave.

§  If you have to use plastic containers choose high density polyethylene (#2), low density polyethylene (#4), or polypropylene (#5) marked on the bottom of the container.

§  Do not reuse any plastic containers with #1, #3 or #6 on it. Water, soda, and juice bottles are usually made from #1 or polyethylene terephthalate ethylene. #3 is found in peanut butter containers made of polyvinyl chloride. #6 is found in styrofoam containers made of polystyrene.

§  Avoid water bottles, pitchers, and other hard, shatterproof food containers with a PC or #7 on the bottom. They have BPA.

                                                     

§  Do not microwave plastic.

§  Replace your non-stick pans if possible. If you must use them avoid scratching the surface and throw away the ones that are damaged.

§  Buy wild fish such as salmon high in omega-3.

§  Buy meat and dairy products that are hormone- and antibiotic-free.

§  Try to buy meat products packed in brown paper rather than wrapped in plastic and styrofoam.

§  Eat less canned foods. Go for fresh, frozen foods, dried or jarred foods instead.

§  Try locally grown produce, if possible organic and free of packaging.

§  Avoid air fresheners, use dried potpourri instead.