The not so secret, secrets to weight loss
Weight Loss is a topic that often comes up during consults with my patients, and a topic I really struggle with as a practitioner. Not because I don’t know what to do, rather it’s not me that has to do it, it’s up to the person sitting in front of me, and that is totally out of my control !
One of the biggest factors with weight loss, is sticking to an actual diet. There is plenty of debate as to what diet works best but the honest truth is, a calorie deficit is what works best. The macro make-up depends on the persons preferences and possibly some contributing health issues.
Low fat or low carb?
The age old debate. As long as you are in a deficit and have adequate protein intake, then you can go with either option, depending on your food preferences. For example, if you love your pasta, then choose a low fat diet.
Calorie intake matters, whether you like it or not, it just might not matter where they come from.
One could argue a diet consisting of 1500 calories of chocolate and lollies, compared to a diet consisting of 1500 calories of wholefoods, IF in a deficit to that persons needs will still render weight loss, and it will, until maybe it won’t…
Before you go the chocolate and lollies option, have a think about how you might “feel”. You are going to get energy crashes, you won’t feel full for long and spend your days hungry, you will inevitably become nutrient depleted, and end up tired, cranky, and potentially screwing around with your bodies intricate systems due to a lack of vitamins and minerals. This doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your favourite Pana Chocolate every now and then, moderation (and deficit) is key.
A calorie deficit is the most important aspect of weight loss, no matter where they come from BUT for sustainable weight loss and good health, the junk food option ain’t going to work!
But why is it SO bloody hard to stick to? Here are some handy hints to help keep you on track!
Pick a “diet” you can stick to. Ignore the latest fad, and go with a macro balance that suits you!
Have a plan. Speak with your health professional about the ideal calorie intake you should be aiming for, and use apps to track this. You don’t need to track calories forever but it’s handy for the first couple of weeks until you get used to portion sizing.
Cycle in diet breaks. I tend to recommend a 6 weeks intensive phase (calorie restriction), followed by cycling in some dietary breaks where we sit the calorie intake as the output. This not only gives you a psychological break, but helps assists with metabolic adaptation and metabolic set point. Some patients might be on a 4 week “on”/ 2 week “off”, others a 2 on 2.
Exercise. Want to lose weight? You gotta move that body baby! Not only are we “burning” more calories, we are supporting muscle gain and basal metabolic rate, as well as our feel good neurotransmitters. You may need to get out of your comfort zone though and start to push a little harder or try something different. Walking your dog everyday for 30minutes isn’t going to cut the mustard after a while!
Get good quality sleep! Sleep affects our hunger hormones, ghrelin and leptin. Ghrelin stimulates the appetite, while Leptin does the opposite. If you are sleep deprived, this throws out your circadian rhythm and actually increases ghrelin (and decreases leptin), leading to increased hunger signals in the brain. Making it that bit harder to stick to your calorie deficit. Disrupted circadian rhythm can also lead to an increased production of insulin, which over time promotes fat storage and increases the risk of T2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Front load your calorie intake to the start of the day. Humans are simple creatures really, we were made to eat during daylight hours. During the day, insulin sensitivity increases and melatonin decreases (while cortisol peaks in the morning), this makes us feel alert and energized. Basically, our metabolism is humming away nicely. As the sun lowers in the sky and darkness sets in, our melatonin levels rise (while cortisol decreases), our insulin sensitivity decreases, and our metabolic rate begins to slow in preparation for rest and repair mode. Eating large meals at night just doesn’t make sense to the body! Focus on breakfast and lunch being your larger meals.
A word on fasting. It is a huge topic and one I won’t cover completely here, but in my professional opinion, a 16:8 fast or even 12:12 fast (to mimic daylight hours/ circadian rhythm) can be very useful! Anything more than that, well I’m not sold, particularly in women. Majority of fasting studies are done in college age athletic men, so how this translates to women and their intricate hormonal system is unknown. I have seen fasting go terribly wrong in women. If you do it right though, it an be very beneficial. In the end, you still need to be in a calorie deficit for fasting to work.
Reduce your stress load. There is no better way to derail your weight loss efforts than running around like a chook with no head. Chronic elevation in the stress hormone cortisol may alter metabolism, while unhealthy stress induced behaviours make you a right sugar monster. So although stress itself doesn’t cause weight gain, the physiological effects of stress on the body can make it difficult to stay in a calorie deficit.
JERF (just eat real food): learn to meal prep, and learn to prepare food, you are an adult now. Seriously. I know it sounds harsh, but it’s your body and your health. What you fuel it with equates to the state of your health, if you can’t put the effort into what goes into your mouth, I can’t help you!
Work in calorie deficits with the menstrual cycle. Have you ever noticed that your appetite ebbs and flows? One week you barely remember to eat, the next you are throwing amounts of food down your throat that would make a grown man blush? In our Follicular Phase (first 2 weeks of the cycle) our appetite is lower, then as the hormones kick in around ovulation, and our progesterone lifts, we literally “warm up”, this causes an increase in our basal metabolic rate, and boom the appetite kicks in. There is no hard and fast number but our BMR can increase by 10-20% (anywhere from 100-300 calories!) during the Luteal Phase. If you struggle here, try increasing your calorie intake by 100-200cals and see how you feel, or alternatively use this period of the menstrual cycle as a diet break and go back to an even calorie state. You won’t lose weight, but we are in it for the long run, and this will make it far easier months down the track. It’s called working with your physiology.
Watch out for liquid calories. Sweeteners in coffee; alcohol; softdrink; juice, iced tea….. they are easy to consume and add up VERY quickly. Stick with water, lemon in water, or soda water and if you don’t like coffee without sugar, then I am afraid you don’t actually like coffee so don’t drink it 😉
The metabolic set point theory. This theory suggests that people who are overweight have a higher body weight set point, aka the weight your body wants to sit at. Using physiological mechanisms via a hormonal feedback system, as weight is lost, appetite may increase while energy expenditure decreases (so we eat more and move less). It is theorised that lowering this set point can help with long term weight loss. How do we lower the set point?
Ensure you are getting sufficient protein intake
Exercise regularly, and aim to build muscle
Eat high fibre foods the increase satiety
Use diet breaks
Things that increase our set point include:
Triggering the food reward centre in the brain with foods high in a combination of fat and carb (which you will not find in nature)
Eating high palate foods (prepacked foods ladened with salt, sugar, food additives)
Inflammation
Poor Sleep
Phew!
There you have it. If you want to lose weight you need to be in a calorie deficit, although sometimes for the reasons mentioned above this can prove difficult.
It takes hard work, and consistency but if you really want it, you can do it. There are no short cuts, no magic supplements, no magic herbal teas, just old fashion mind over matter.
So stop getting in your own way, stop overthinking it, and get that ball rolling.
J Xx