DO DIETS REALLY WORK?

Many people struggle with the question “Is this diet right for me”? This is likely one of the most frequently asked questions by people attempting weight loss. The best answer, is not to diet, but rather change your lifestyle. A weight loss diet implies a temporary effort, one that will end once a desired amount of pounds have been shed.

In a recently published meta-study. Researchers analyzed the results of 121 previous weight loss studies, to see what happened to subjects, one year after they began their diet. Of the 14 different diets examined, the differences in weight-loss after 1 year were negligible.

The serious limitation of the study, as expected, is that the discipline of the dieters was not measured. This elegantly explains the non-intuitive result. When you no longer eat according to your diet plan, you'll start gaining back the fat you lost no matter what diet you were on.

One exception performed significantly better after one year, not on weight, but on cholesterol levels. People on the Mediterranean diet showed significantly lower levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol. It's important to note that the Mediterranean diet is not necessarily a weight loss plan, but rather a guidline for healthy eating.

Read more about the Mediterranean Diet.

it’s proof that diet’s do work in helping you to gain it all back, but not in a long term sustainable measure of complete nutritional balance and fat management.

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Source: Johnston, et al - Comparison of dietary macronutrient patterns of 14 popular named dietary programmes for weight and cardiovascular risk factor reduction in adults: systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised trials - BMJ, April 2020

The value of the Glycemic Food Index

Have you ever questioned why some foods can be eaten in normal quantities without the thought of the rise in blood sugar or weight increase? while in other foods, portion control is important? Glycemic index is the concept that helps us to choose food wisely.

Glycemic index or GI, is a measure of the effects of carbohydrates on blood glucose levels. Carbohydrates that break down during digestion releasing glucose rapidly into the blood stream have a high GI; carbohydrates that break down slowly, releasing glucose gradually into the bloodstream, have a low GI.

A lower glycemic index suggests slower rates of digestion and absorption of the foods. Carbohydrates may also indicate greater extraction from the liver and periphery of the products of carbohydrate digestion. A lower glycemic response is often thought to equate to a lower insulin demand, better long-term blood glucose control and a reduction in blood lipids (fats)

Eating a lot of high GI foods can be harmful to your health as it forces your body to extremes. This is especially true if you are overweight and sedentary. Switching to eating mainly low GI carbohydrates that slowly trickle glucose into your blood stream keeps your energy levels balanced and you will feel fuller for longer between meals.

A low GI food will release glucose more slowly and steadily. A high GI food causes a more rapid rise in blood glucose levels and is suitable for energy recovery after endurance exercise or for a person with diabetes experiencing hypoglycemia.

Benefits of Low GI Foods:

• lose and control weight

• increase the body’s sensitivity to insulin

• improve diabetes control

• reduce the risk of heart disease

• reduce blood cholesterol levels

• reduce hunger and keep you fuller for longer

• prolong physical endurance

• help re-fuel carbohydrate stores after exercise

Weight Loss and the diets that fool us.

For many people, rapid diets are the only kind worth trying. It's common to hear someone say they want to lose "a quick five pounds" before a wedding, or "drop ten pounds" in preparation for a beach vacation. No one wants to be told that healthy weight loss takes time and effort—so the companies marketing diet plans and supplements focus instead on get-skinny-quick gimmicks. Although these plans can sometimes lead to weight loss in the short term, they are very difficult to sustain.

Truth: Consume a balance of organic whole fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds combined with, regular cardio and muscle conditioning. Change your environment, because environment is a major factor of weight gain and other health detriments. Look for your local famers in your area, or shop organic whenever possible. Pay attention to what you eat and find those food triggers that are causing you to feel poorly and unbalanced and gradually remove them.

Sources: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000895.htm

Weight Management

When we eat, a chemical called Dopamine is released. However when we consume high volumes of sugar, saturated fats and processed food, we stimulate over production of insulin and an influx of nutrients into the cell causing it to enlarge. When we eat poorly, Dopamine rush is what we crave as well as the nutrients we are missing from the food we eat, typically causing us to overeat. This is why it is vitally important to consume real nutrient dense whole food. consisting of Fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds. Water being the first and most vital.

Biological and environmental mechanisms are in place to show variables of how and why we gain or lose weight. We don’t need a set point to determine the control of body weight, as it is not due to predetermined biological reasons. If variables in nature are well balanced, in this case the quality and quantity of food consumption, stress levels and daily exercise, we can better manage our body weight and energy levels for optimal health.

When we gain weight, we actually increase our energy expenditure because we need more energy to carry around that excess weight, but if we were at a healthy weight with increased muscle density, we can better manage our energy levels to last throughout the day. Body composition is much more important than the focus of “Losing weight”

The moral of this story is, there is no replacement for a healthy diet, regular exercise and a restful sleep. The more nutrient efficiency the body absorbs, the less cravings you will have for non food items.