Myths About Weight Loss
Jun 20, 2009 | Weight LossWe have to begin this discussion … with some myths about weight loss. Many of these weight loss myths actually produce weight gain. Here again, I will be relating to information from Dr. Mark Hyman’s “UltraMetabolism” and “The Ultra Simple 7-Day Diet”.
The First Myth: The Starvation Myth
This myth says that if you eat less, exercise more … you will lose weight. While it is partially true, it really depends on WHAT you eat. I had a friend that liked to just have a piece of apple pie for lunch when she was ‘dieting’. Apples are good for you she would say. And there can’t be many calories in just one little piece of pie!!
If you have a diet high in trans fats or high-fructose corn syrup, yet keep your calories down, you’re weight loss will be minimal. You will feel hungry and tired and get discouraged. You’ve got to watch out for the ‘empty calories’ (refined carbohydrates and toxic fats with little nutritional value. They send all the wrong messages to your genes, turning on the messages that promote weight gain, changes in hormones, increases to molecules that trigger more hunger, inflammation, and more.
Instead, throw away your calorie counter and begin choosing whole foods that contain no toxic or hydrogenated fats or high-fructose corn syrup. And above all, stay away from convenience foods.
I thought I was being so good to eat just one small Yoplait yogurt for lunch. Till I realized it had high-fructose corn syrup – and it was contributing to my ‘starvation’. You’ll understand what I mean when you read below.
What are ‘whole foods’?
* High-fiber foods: beans, whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds.
* Quality Proteins: beans, nuts and seeds, eggs, fish, lean poultry, lamb, pork or beef
* Healthy Fats: fish oil, extra virgin olive oil, cold-expeller-pressed plant oils, such as grapeseed, walnut and sesame, avocado, olives, coconut, nuts, seeds.
* Healthy Carbohydrates:
Vegetables, whole grains, beans, fruit, nuts, seeds.
So you see, not all calories are created equal. The food you eat contains information for your genes that controls your metabolism. The information changes your metabolism and can increase OR decrease your weight. A whole-food diet is the best way to help food communicate to your genes in a language it understands.
And for heavens sakes – don’t skip meals. Have several smaller meals. Ideal is breakfast, morning snack, light lunch, afternoon snack, and dinner. Then NOTHING until morning. Pounds can drop if you don’t eat 3 hours prior to going to bed.
The main problem with skipping meals and starving yourself is it sets of chemical response inside your body – that actually encourages you to eat more!! So by not eating – you go on binges when you do have the opportunity.
And to add insult to injury. When your body feels it is deprived of food – it starts storing your fat (so you can’t lose weight). I think of it as the little squirrels that stuff all the acorns in the trees during the summer, so they have food for the winter. So by eating many smaller meals – your body is content and doesn’t have to go the extra measure of storing your fat – it can actually help you get rid of the fat.
Next Myth: The Calorie Myth.
