The primary source of weight gain, other than lack of exercise, is sugar intake at the wrong time, and in too large a quantity. Yes, that cola, ice cream, or large plate of pasta you may be eating right now. Not all sugar is bad, but it should be eaten in moderation. Let’s explain it in lay terms. Because of the effects of sugar and other forms of carbohydrates on blood-sugar levels, we shall refer to insulin for illustration of this concept, which is a hormone produced by the beta cells of the pancreas, as the insulin level. This is because of the general appearance of the blood sugar level as it rises and falls in response to sugar intake and insulin release has a cyclic appearance.

The key is to be able to manipulate both insulin and glucagon to help you lose fat. I know many of you lean, mean, workout machine junkies may care less about body-fat reduction. While fitness junkies are already there, for a great many this is a big problem.

The segment of the population that have a fat or weight loss problem far outnumber the fitness junkies among us. This group is more concerned about losing love handles and belly fat from a recent pregnancy than how much weight to add to the next set. Even though many will admit they are overweight due to lack of exercise and overeating, they still desire to have a better body and fitness level.

With a constant on-the-go lifestyle, it is difficult to plan to always have good nutrition and so we become not fitness, but fast-food junkies. The gold standard for gaining weight. If you need eat out frequently, remember two things: (1) make wise choices for food consumption; and (2) eliminate sugar in those choices. Sugar is your enemy!

There are hundreds of diets and workout programs claiming they will eliminate your body fat while allowing you to enjoy your favorite foods. Surprisingly, quite a few of them work ‘IF’ you strictly adhere to their guidelines and remain disciplined with sensible calorie intake combined with exercise.

So, what’s a person to do who is attempting to maximally lose body fat? You must maintain your blood-sugar level between 70 mg/dl and 110 mg/dl. This is key to use insulin and glucagon in your favor and if you do this you will burn more fat. Biologically, it comes down to your body’s ability to regulate the two hormones insulin and glucagon in relation to your dietary intake.

How Insulin and Glucagon Affect Fat Storage
At this point, I’m going to need to get just a little technical for you to understand how and why the process works.

Insulin increases the synthesis of glycogen in the liver and the movement of glucose from the bloodstream into body cells.

How is blood sugar level controlled? The pancreas works with the liver to perform this task. When you begin eating, the pancreas releases small amounts of insulin. When a lot of glucose (sugar in lay terms) enters the bloodstream, the pancreas releases more insulin. This insulin stimulates the liver to synthesize glycogen, the storage form of glucose, i.e., your ‘cell sugar’ in the body, and stimulates adipose (fat) cells, muscle cells, and other cells to increase glucose uptake. By triggering both glucose storage in the liver and glucose movement from the bloodstream into various types of cells, insulin keeps glucose from rising too high in the blood. Individuals that have diabetes understand how critical and important this is. The take away is that as you eat more sugar, more insulin is produced and more fat cells are stimulated to take up more glucose. When this happens, i.e., the cells are full of glucose, you simply build and store more fat. Burning that fat will not happen naturally by your systems since it is overloaded as it were with sugar.

Bear with me as I attempt to explain the insulin level and glucagon secretion in lay terms. The insulin level is a representative norm for a diabetic or healthy individual who doesn’t eat too much sugar or large portions of carbohydrates at one time. Insulin levels, referred to as your blood-sugar level, typically fluctuate a little. By keeping these levels steady, it is almost impossible to gain weight or put fat on the body! And, you can do this if you don’t over eat carbohydrates and indulge in too many sweets. Insulin is secreted by the beta cells of the pancreas when your blood sugar levels are high. So, following a meal that contains mostly high sugar, rapidly digested carbohydrates, your blood-sugar level may skyrocket far past the desired level of 110 mg/dl. This will facilitate storage of glucose (blood sugar) in the muscle tissues and especially fat cells.

Tip: Limit yourself to no more than 35 grams of carbohydrates per serving then, you can keep from spiking your insulin level past 110 mg/dl.

Glucagon secretion, commonly referred to as the Glucagon Cycle, is the cycle in your body that is responsible for burning or metabolizing fat already stored on your body. Glucagon is a hormone made by the pancreas that stimulates the breakdown of glycogen in the liver into glucose, which increases blood glucose. Glucagon is secreted by the alpha cells of the pancreas when blood sugar is low. This primarily occurs between meals and when exercising. Glucagon causes the liver to release stored energy into circulation.

When the correct types of food are eaten in combination, glucagon works with insulin levels and both are in normal parameters to help you maintain a strong, healthy body that has less fat on it.

What happens when you eat a large portion of complex carbohydrates such as bread or pasta, or simple carbohydrates such as a coke, candy bar, or ice cream? The result is a spiked insulin level. For example, drinking a regular coke (typically 180 calories or 45 grams of carbs) creates a spiked insulin level for about 2-4 hours or more. The more sugar you eat, the longer the spiked level will remain. The effect can become more pronounced for persons 35 years old and older. Also, increased amounts of sugar usage will increase cholesterol in the blood. When the insulin level begins to fall, you will notice the ‘crash’ that is typically exhibited as drowsiness or sluggishness. You know, you’ve experienced it, that early morning crash you got from eating that cinnamon roll, donut, or sugar frosted corn flakes!

Eating large amounts of sugar or carbohydrates causes a double whammy. It will both spike the insulin level and cause an immediate depression of your fat burning metabolism, which makes it impossible, during the period of the spiked cycle, for your body to burn or metabolize stored fat. Thus, you’ll end up gaining unwanted pounds. Also, the intake of alcohol, since it is high in sugar, is even more exacerbated because the alcohol serves as the body’s immediate energy source leaving the sugar to be stored as fat as well.

Again, I am not implying that you cannot eat sugar. It’s okay to celebrate the birthday or have a nice dessert once or twice a week. But, if you’re drinking 3 to 5 cans of soda per day, reduce it to one can or so every 2 to 3 days. Besides, these kinds of foods have minimal nutritional value and do little for your overall health when eaten in larger portions, which is in addition to the effects discussed here. Use sugar as a reward for hard work. It is very appropriate to drink something such as grape juice (4 to 8 ounces), about 20 to 30 minutes prior to your workout. For those who wish a more detailed, technical description of this process, it is included, along with graphs for a visual effect in Appendix 2.

Tip: Eat complex carbohydrates in smaller meals throughout the day. This will lessen the chance of a spiked insulin level and allow more of your food and stored fat to be burned as energy, giving you the healthy body you desire and keep your insulin level down.

Essentially, insulin and glucagon work in balance – insulin increases, glucagon decreases, and vice versa. Insulin promotes storing energy and manufacturing proteins, while glucagon promotes the release of stored energy, both glucose and fatty acids.

The big take away is that keeping your blood glucose level in check, i.e., below 110 mg/dl, will not only help, but cause your body to consistently burn more stored fat. A good diet with adequate protein and carbohydrate sources will minimize insulin spikes, increase glucagon, and ultimately promote less fat storage. Therefore, to optimize fat reduction, it all reverts to the basics – eat properly and exercise regularly. Remember to pay closer attention to the diet component to maintain an optimal blood-sugar level since it can facilitate more fat burning throughout your day.

Tip: Eliminate sugar from your diet for 2 weeks, while eating general carbohydrates sparingly and you will lose at minimum 10-12 pounds. Some clients have lost as much as 18 pounds in 2 weeks without exercise.

Note:
Illustrations of the effects of high carb intake on blood sugar levels are shown below.
In the first graph, you can observe that high-carb/sugar meals drastically increase your blood-sugar level (top two lines) from the norm (bottom two lines). So, eat less carbs/sugars at one time.

In the second graph, you can see that glucagon is optimal or in lay terms, your fat burning cycle operates at full efficiency with a low carb meal (blue line), but is drastically reduced and becomes inefficient in fat burning with a high carb meal (pink line).

Start your day off right!

Eat breakfast!
Drink 100% fruit juice (canned, from a carton, or freshly squeezed) with breakfast, or take a can to drink at work.
Spruce up your breakfast banana or handful of berries will liven up your cereal, yogurt, waffles, or pancakes.
Take a piece of fruit to munch on during your commute.

Why? It is not because breakfast is the best for you nutritionally; eating breakfast gets your body’s metabolism up quickly and into, as it were, a better fat burning mode.

An easy way to make fruits and vegetables more accessible to you is to make sure you buy them. Keep bowls of fruits and vegetables on the kitchen table and counter. Now that you’ve bought them, eat them. Try to eat 3-5 vegetables for each fruit. Don’t consume more than 2-3 pieces or the equivalent each day.

Baked potatoes, corn on the cob, bread – what do these items often have in common? We generally cover them with butter, right? If we’re not careful and we aren’t all the time we don’t realize how much we actually use. If you must use butter and margarine, use them sparingly.

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Use “lite” or low-fat dairy products (e.g., milk, cheese, yogurt, or sour cream). Use in recipes and/or drink 1% or skim milk. You’ll still get the nutrients and taste but not the fat.

When you make or buy a salad, a little bit of salad dressing goes a long way. Measure 1 tablespoon of dressing and toss well with your salad. The dressing coats the salad instead of drenching it. For even more flavor, sprinkle the salad with lemon pepper before adding dressing or, use light or fat-free salad dressing. The same principle applies when using condiments; a little mayonnaise is all you need. Or use the light or fat-free kind.

If you like to eat meat, there’s no reason you have to give it up. But you can help reduce fat by choosing the leanest cuts such as beef round, loin, sirloin, pork loin chops, turkey, chicken, and roasts. All cuts with the name “loin” or “round” are lean. If you cook it yourself, trim all visible fat and drain the grease. For best long-term results consume more fish and skinless chicken than red meats that have higher amounts of saturated fats.

Fried foods taste great, but are not great for you. They’re very high in fat, typically saturated fat. So, use oils sparingly (try olive and canola oils). Bake chicken without the skin. Substitute a potato for French fries.

Why do we eat snacks? They taste great, they’re easy, and they satisfy our sweet and salt cravings. And, let’s face it, crunchy food is fun. So why not make your own snacks by packing healthy, quick, and easy-to-grab foods such as little bags or containers of ready-to-eat vegetables (e.g., celery sticks, cucumber wedges, and cherry tomatoes) or, make healthier choices on snacks that are store bought, like pretzels. Keep them with you in your briefcase, office, car and home.

If you’re like most people, no matter how much you’ve eaten at dinner, there’s always room for desserts and sweets. “I’m stuffed. Couldn’t eat another bite.

What about ice cream and other sweets?

Cut down on the portion size and how often you eat these items.
Substitute low-fat or fat-free baked goods, cookies, and ice cream. They still taste great. Choose fruit. It tastes great, is filling, and provides energy.

Remember, sugar is the enemy of weight loss. It’s almost impossible to lose weight if you spike your blood-sugar level constantly with sugar. This causes fat reduction problems such as the inability to burn fat properly, build up of fat, and depression of metabolism. Also, just because something is sugar free, fat free or low fat doesn’t mean you can eat as much as you want. Many low-fat or nonfat foods are also high in calories. Eat everything in moderation.

Typical restaurant servings are often twice the size of a single serving. Try this: When dining out or ordering in, ask for half of a serving or a “doggy bag.” That way you won’t be as full and you can have some tomorrow. You can also drink 2-3 glasses (8 ounces each) of water before you eat. You’ll feel full much faster and this will help you restrict unwanted calories.

Fast food combines a lot of fat and calories. But it doesn’t have to if we’re careful. You can still get food in a hurry, but try these suggestions:

• Order a lean roast beef sandwich.
• Order grilled chicken sandwiches and do the fixings “your way.”
• Keep the portions to regular and small. No “double” anything or “going large.”

Order items without the cheese.

No matter what you do, moderate your food intake and opt for healthier choices at home and when dining out.

Hype and Fiction: Fad diets work for permanent weight loss.

Fact: Fad diets often promise to help you lose a lot of weight quickly, or tell you to cut certain foods out of your diet to lose weight. Although you may lose weight at first while on these kinds of diets, they can be unhealthy because they often keep you from getting all the nutrients that your body needs. Fad diets may seriously limit or forbid certain types of food, so most people quickly get tired of them and regain the lost weight.

Research suggests that losing 1/2 to 2 pounds a week by eating better and exercising more is the best way to lose weight and keep it off.

By improving your eating and exercise habits, you will develop a healthier lifestyle and control your weight. You will also reduce your chances of developing heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

Hype and Fiction: Skipping meals is a good way to lose weight.

Fact: Your body needs a certain amount of calories and nutrients each day in order to work properly. If you skip meals during the day, you will be more likely to make up for those missing calories by snacking or eating more at the next meal. Studies show that people who skip breakfast tend to be heavier than those who eat a nutritious breakfast.

A healthier way to lose weight is to eat many small meals throughout the day that include a variety of nutritious, low-fat, and low-calorie foods.

Hype and Fiction: “I can lose weight while eating anything I want.”

Fact:This statement is not always true. It is possible to eat any kind of food you want and lose weight. But you still need to limit the number of calories that you eat every day, usually by eating smaller amounts of food. When trying to lose weight, you can eat your favorite foods–as long as you pay attention to the total amount of food that you eat.

You need to use more calories than you eat to lose weight. Maintaining a constant weight is all about balances: Body weight = calories input minus calories output!

The best way to lose weight is to cut back on the number of calories you eat and be more physically active.

Hype and Fiction: Eating after 8 p.m. causes weight gain.

Fact: It doesn’t matter what time of day you eat–it’s how much you eat during the day and how much exercise you get that make you gain or lose weight. No matter when you eat your meals, your body will store extra calories as fat. If you want to have a snack before bedtime, make sure that you first think about how many calories you have already eaten that day.

Try not to snack while doing other things like watching television, playing video games, or using the computer. If you eat meals and snacks in the kitchen or dining room, you are less likely to be distracted and more likely to be aware of what and how much you are eating. (If you want to snack while watching TV, take a small amount of food with you–like a handful of pretzels or a couple of cookies–not the whole bag.)

Hype and Fiction: Certain foods, like grapefruit, celery, or cabbage soup, can burn fat and make you lose weight.

Fact: No foods can burn fat. Some foods with caffeine may speed up your metabolism (the way your body uses energy, or calories) for a short time, but they do not cause weight loss.

The best way to lose weight is to cut back on the number of calories you eat and be more physically active.

Hype and Fiction: Natural or herbal weight-loss products are safe and effective.

Fact: A product that claims to be “natural” or “herbal” is not necessarily safe. These products are not usually tested scientifically to prove that they are safe or that they work. Some herbal or other natural products may be unsafe to use with other drugs or may hurt people with certain medical conditions. Check with your doctor or other qualified health professional before using any herbal or natural weight-loss product.

Hype and Fiction: Nuts are fattening and you shouldn’t eat them if you want to lose weight.

Fact: Although high in calories and fat, most (but not all) types of nuts have low amounts of saturated fat. Saturated fat is the kind of fat that can lead to high blood cholesterol levels and increase the risk of heart disease. Nuts are a good source of protein and fiber, and they do not have any cholesterol. In small amounts, nuts can be part of a healthy weight-loss program. (A 1-ounce serving of mixed nuts, which is about 1/3 cup, has 170 calories.)

What is a serving anyway?

A serving =

1 medium apple or orange (no bigger than a tennis ball) or banana

1/2 cup of chopped, cooked, or canned fruit

1/4 cup of dried fruit

3/4 cup of fruit or vegetable juice

1 cup of raw leafy greens (a little smaller than a softball)

1/2 cup of cooked vegetables

Hype and Fiction: Eating red meat is bad for your health and will make it harder to lose weight.

Fact: Red meat, pork, chicken, and fish contain some saturated fat and cholesterol. But they also have nutrients that are important for good health, like protein, iron, and zinc.

Eating lean meat (meat without a lot of visible fat) in small amounts can be part of a healthy weight-loss plan. A serving size is 2 to 3 ounces of cooked meat, which is about the size of a deck of cards. Choose cuts of meat that are lower in fat such as beef eye of the round, top round, or pork tenderloin, and trim any extra fat before cooking. The “select” grade of meat is lower in fat than “choice” and “prime” grades. However, regardless of choice, red meats should be eaten sparingly.

Hype and Fiction: Fresh fruits and vegetables are more nutritious than frozen or canned.

Fact: Most fruits and vegetables (produce) are naturally low in fat and calories. Frozen and canned fruits and vegetables can be just as nutritious as fresh. Frozen or canned produce is often packaged right after it has been picked, which helps keep most of its nutrients. Fresh produce can sometimes lose nutrients after being exposed to light or air.

Hype and Fiction: Starches are fattening and should be limited when trying to lose weight.

Fact: Potatoes, rice, pasta, bread, beans, and some vegetables (like squash, yams, sweet potatoes, turnips, beets, and carrots) are rich in complex carbohydrates (also called starch). Starch is an important source of energy for your body.

Foods high in starch can be low in fat and calories. They become high in fat and calories when you eat them in large amounts, or they are made with rich sauces, oils, or other high-fat toppings like butter, sour cream, or mayonnaise.

Try to avoid high-fat toppings and choose starchy foods that are high in fiber, like whole grains, beans, and peas.

Hype and Fiction: Fast foods are always an unhealthy choice and you should not eat them when dieting.

Fact: Fast foods can be part of a healthy weight-loss program with a little bit of know-how. Choose salads and grilled foods instead of fried foods, which are high in fat and calories. Use high-fat, high-calorie toppings, like full-fat mayonnaise and salad dressings only in small amounts.

Eating fried fast food (like French fries) or other high-fat foods like chocolate once in a while as a special treat is fine–but try to split an order with a friend or order a small portion. In small amounts, these foods can still be part of a healthy eating plan.

Hype and Fiction: Fish has no fat or cholesterol.

Fact: Although all fish has some fat and cholesterol, most fish is lower in saturated fat and cholesterol than beef, pork, chicken, and turkey. Fish is a good source of protein. Types of fish that are higher in fat (like salmon, mackerel, sardines, herring, and anchovies) are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids are being studied because they may be linked to a lower risk for heart disease. Grilled, baked, or broiled fish (instead of fried) can be part of a healthy weight-loss plan.

Hype and Fiction: High-protein/low-carbohydrate diets are a healthy way to lose weight.

Fact: A high-protein/low-carbohydrate diet provides most of your calories each day from protein foods (like meat, eggs, and cheese) and few calories from carbohydrate foods (like breads, pasta, potatoes, fruits, and vegetables). People often get bored with these diets because they crave the plant-based foods they are not allowed to have or can have only in very small amounts. These diets often lack key nutrients found in carbohydrate foods.

Many of these diets allow a lot of food high in fat, like bacon and cheese. High-fat diets can raise blood cholesterol levels, which increases a person’s risk for heart disease and certain cancers.

High-protein/low-carbohydrate diets may cause rapid weight loss–but most of it is water weight and lean muscle mass–not fat. You lose water because your kidneys try to get rid of the excess waste products of protein and fat, called ketones, that your body makes.

This is not a healthy way to lose weight!

It overworks your kidneys, and can cause dehydration, headaches, and bad breath. It can also make you feel nauseous, tired, weak, and dizzy. A buildup of ketones in your blood (called ketosis) can cause your body to produce high levels of uric acid, which is a risk factor for gout (a painful swelling of the joints) and kidney stones. Ketosis can be very risky for pregnant women and people with diabetes.

By following a reduced-calorie diet that is well-balanced between carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, you will still lose weight–without hurting your body. You will also be more likely to keep the weight off.

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Hype and Fiction: Dairy products are fattening and unhealthy.

Fact: Dairy products have many nutrients your body needs. They have calcium to help children grow strong bones and to keep adult bones strong and healthy. They also have vitamin D to help your body use calcium, and protein to build muscles and to help organs work properly.

Low-fat and nonfat dairy products are as nutritious as whole milk dairy products, but they are lower in fat and calories. Choose low-fat or nonfat milk, cheese, yogurt (frozen or regular), and reduced-fat ice cream.

For people who can’t digest lactose (a type of sugar found in milk and other dairy products), lactose-free dairy products can be used. These are also good sources of protein and calcium. If you are sensitive to some dairy foods, you may still be able to eat others, like yogurt, hard cheese, evaporated skim milk, and buttermilk. Other good sources of calcium are dark leafy vegetables (like spinach), calcium-fortified juice, bread, and soy products (like tofu), and canned fish with soft bones (like salmon).

Many people are worried about eating butter and margarine. Eating a lot of foods high in saturated fat (like butter) has been linked to high blood cholesterol levels and a greater risk of heart disease. Some research suggests that high amounts of “trans fat” can also cause high blood cholesterol levels. Trans fat is found in margarine, and in crackers, cookies, and other snack foods made with hydrogenated vegetable shortening or oil. Trans fat is formed when vegetable oil is hardened to become margarine or shortening, a process called “hydrogenation.” More research is needed to find out the effect of trans fat on the risk of heart disease. Foods high in fat, like butter and margarine, should be used in small amounts.

Hype and Fiction: Low-fat or no fat means no calories.

Fact: Remember that most fruits and vegetables are naturally low in fat and calories. Other low-fat or nonfat foods may still have a lot of calories. Often these foods will have extra sugar, flour, or starch thickeners to make them taste better. These ingredients can add calories, which can lead to weight gain.

A low-fat or nonfat food is usually lower in calories than the same size portion of the full-fat product. The number of calories depends on the amount of carbohydrate, protein, and fat in the food. Carbohydrate and protein have about 4 calories per gram, and fat has more than twice that amount (9 calories per gram).

Be a “Sensible” Consumer

If you don’t know whether or not to believe a weight-loss or nutrition claim, check it out! Find out more about nutrition and weight loss by reading the publications listed below, contacting the organizations listed, or talking with a registered dietitian. Learning more about nutrition will help you to make sense of the hype and Hype and Fictions, find out the truth, and practice healthy eating and weight-control habits.

Hype and Fiction: “Going vegetarian” means you are sure to lose weight and be healthier.

Fact: Vegetarian diets can be healthy because they are often lower in saturated fat and cholesterol and higher in fiber. Choosing a vegetarian diet with a low fat content can be helpful for weight loss. But vegetarians–like non-vegetarians–can also make poor food choices, like eating large amounts of junk (nutritionally empty) foods. Candy, chips, and other high-fat, vegetarian foods should be eaten in small amounts.

Vegetarian diets need to be as carefully planned as non-vegetarian diets to make sure they are nutritious.

Vegetarian diets can provide the recommended daily amount of all the key nutrients if you choose foods carefully. Plants, especially fruits and vegetables, are the main source of nutrients in vegetarian diets. Some types of vegetarian diets (like those that include eggs and dairy foods) contain animal sources, while another type (the vegan diet) has no animal foods. Nutrients normally found in animal products that are not always found in a vegetarian diet are iron, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12, and zinc. Here are some foods that have these nutrients:

Iron: cashews, tomato juice, rice, tofu, lentils, and garbanzo beans (chick peas).
Calcium: dairy products, fortified soymilk, fortified orange juice, tofu, kale, and broccoli.
Vitamin D: fortified milk and soymilk, and fortified cereals (or a small amount of sunlight).
Vitamin B12: eggs, dairy products, and fortified soymilk, cereals, tempeh, and miso. (Tempeh and miso are foods made from soybeans. They are low in calories and fat and high in protein.)
Zinc: whole grains (especially the germ and bran of the grain), eggs, dairy products, nuts, tofu, leafy vegetables (lettuce, spinach, cabbage), and root vegetables (onions, potatoes, carrots, celery, radishes).

Vegetarians must eat a variety of plant foods over the course of a day to get enough protein. Those plant foods that have the most protein are lentils, tofu, nuts, seeds, tempeh, miso, and peas.

Now that you know the fact from the fiction and hype, you too can lose weight, healthily.

Bread, Cereal, Rice and Pasta (Think Brown, i.e., whole grain)

Eat 2-4 servings of grain products a day.

Whole-grains and whole grain breads are low in fat; they’re also high in fiber and complex carbohydrates. Choose these breads for sandwiches and as additions to meals.

Avoid white bread, white rice, pasta, sweets, rich bakery foods such as donuts, sweet rolls and muffins. These foods can contain more than 50% fat calories. Snacks such as angel food cake and gingersnap cookies can satisfy your sweet tooth without adding fat to your diet.

Hot and cold cereals are usually low in fat. But granola cereals may have high-fat oils and extra sugars. Instant cereals with cream may also have high-fat oils or butterfat.

Avoid fried snacks such as potato chips and tortilla chips. Try the low-fat or baked versions.

Vegetables and Fruits

Eat at least 2-3 servings fruits per day and an abundance of vegetables.

Fruits and vegetables are naturally low in fat, and they add flavor and variety to your diet. They also contain fiber, vitamins and minerals.

Margarine, butter, mayonnaise and sour cream add fat to vegetables and fruits. For a lower fat diet, you can use herbs and yogurt as seasonings instead.

Red Meat

Use Sparingly

Beef, Pork, Veal and Lamb
Baking, broiling and roasting are the healthiest ways to prepare meat. Lean cuts can be pan -broiled or stir-fried. Use either a nonstick pan or nonstick spray coating.

Trim outside fat before cooking. Trim any inside, separable fat before eating. Select low-fat, lean cuts of meat. Lean beef and veal cuts have the word “loin” or “round” in their names. Lean pork cuts have the word “loin” or “leg” in their names.

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Use herbs, spices, fresh vegetables and nonfat marinades to season meat. Avoid high-fat sauces and gravies.

All red meats should be used sparingly.

Poultry, Fish, Eggs

Eat 0-3 servings of meat or meat alternatives a day.

Baking, broiling and roasting are the healthiest ways to prepare poultry. Skinless poultry can be pan-broiled or stir-fried. Use either a nonstick pan or nonstick spray coating.

Remove skin and visible fat before cooking. Choose low-fat breast cuts. Chicken breasts are a good choice because they are low in fat. Use domestic goose and duck only once in a while because both are high in fat.

Fish
Poaching, steaming, baking and broiling are the healthiest ways to prepare fish. Fresh fish should have firm, springy flesh, a clear color, a moist look and a clean smell. If good-quality fresh fish isn’t available, buy frozen fish.

Most seafood is low in saturated fat. Omega-3 fatty acids, found in some fatty fish, such as salmon and cold water trout, may help lower the risk of heart disease in some people.

Nuts & Legumes – Cross-Over Foods
Dry beans, peas, lentils, and nuts offer protein and fiber without the cholesterol and animal fat that meats have. Once in a while, try substituting beans for meat in a favorite recipe, such as lasagna or chili.

TVP, or textured vegetable protein, is widely available in many foods. Vegetarian hot dogs, “hamburger” and “chicken nuggets” are low-fat, cholesterol-free alternatives to meat.

Nuts make a great snack that will not spike the bodys insulin level and thus, if not over-eaten, will help long-term weight reduction.

Dairy Products: Milk, Yogurt and Cheese

Choose skim milk or buttermilk. Substitute evaporated skim milk for cream in recipes for soups and sauces.

Try low-fat cheeses. Skim ricotta can replace cream cheese on a bagel or in a vegetable dip. Use part-skim mozzarella instead of cheddar cheese in recipes. Try low-fat natural or cheddar cheeses. Use 1% cottage cheese for salads and cooking. Eat string cheese as a low-fat, high-calcium snack.

Plain nonfat yogurt can replace sour cream in many recipes. (To maintain texture, stir 1 tablespoon of cornstarch into each cup of yogurt that you use in cooking.) Try frozen nonfat or low-fat yogurt for dessert.

Skim sherbet is an alternative to ice cream. Soft-serve and regular ice creams are lower in fat than premium styles.

Just like fitness, nutrition is long term, especially the benefits. Thus, in your pursuit of good nutrition, allow at least three months on any new nutritional plan to determine the value and benefits you derive from it. Why? What typically happens? Lets look at fitness. On a three month fitness plan of 3-5 hours per week of exercise, the general result obtained, assuming an appropriate diet is adhered to as well, is that one will begin to notice leaning in the shoulders and leg areas since burning fat is typically first noticed here.

The longer you stay on the program the better you begin to look. The fact is, your body takes awhile to adjust to a fitness program and then, another period of time to begin showing results. Nutrition follows these same principles. Be patient, develop a plan, and stick to it, i.e., be consistent so that you can verify the affects of the plan.

Some of the primary items you should look for in any diet or nutritional plan in terms of consistency are 1) is there a variety of foodstuffs in the plan; 2) does the plan help you alter eating habits; 3) is the nutritional plan balanced between fats, carbohydrates, and proteins; and 4) how did your body respond to it? Again, the latter is essential in performing any evaluation of ones reaction to a nutritional plan. And, not everyone will react the same to a given plan.

For example, recently we placed 22 females on a very low carb, experimental diet. Within a couple of weeks a majority of the participants were losing weight, which was the expected result for the diet. However, several of the women became very puffy in appearance and actually began gaining weight. As a result, their diet had to be modified. This is an example of quick results; generally, results are slower, which reinforces the admonition of consistency.

General Steps:

1. Develop your nutritional plan
2. Begin adhering to the plan
3. Evaluate the results
4. Start the cycle over.

Follow the fours steps above until you find a nutritional plan that works for you. Stick with it for at least three months (this does not mean sticking to a fad diet for three months such as no carbs, or other type diets; it means a good nutritional plan that is not considered a diet). And, make sure that you include foods that you enjoy otherwise, you’ll find it very difficult to follow any nutritional plan.

Try The Following To Begin A Sound Nutritional Program:

Begin with the USDA “Food Guide Pyramid” and Temper It!

Every 5-10 years or so, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) release dietary guidelines that provide nutritional advice to Americans. These guidelines are meant to serve as the basis for the familiar “Food Guide Pyramid” (see figure below – it is of 1992 vintage) that categorizes foods and suggests the number of servings people should eat from each food group.

The updated food pyramid is below.

The pyramid shape shows the proportions that various food groups should contribute to the total diet. Food groups at the wide base of the pyramid, for example, are to be eaten in greater quantity than food groups that appear toward the narrower top.

Carbohydrates

Over the past two decades, dietary recommendations have emphasized the importance of consuming more carbohydrates–which includes such foods as bread, pasta, potatoes, and rice–in place of dietary fat. The original rationale behind the suggestion is that people who fill up on carbohydrates are less likely to eat fat. Many studies, however, have provided evidence that not all fats are bad and that not all carbohydrates are good. Based on this evidence, Dr. Tindall says the current guidelines promote over-consumption of carbohydrates.

The current food pyramid suggests between 6 and 11 servings of bread, cereal, rice, or pasta every day. Dr. Tindall says that whole-grain sources of carbohydrates are good. But otherwise he believes this food group is overemphasized. Actually, the Food Guide Pyramid consists of a daily intake of about 65% of daily calories from carbohydrates. This would likely be best restricted to no more than 55%, which is the number used for athletes who are very active.

Whole grains still have their outer (bran) layer and inner (germ) layer. During the milling and production of refined grains (like white flour), the healthful bran and germ layers are removed-and with them go many important nutrients, like vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Eating too many refined-grain foods has been linked to diabetes as well as heart disease.

Dietary Fat

Not all fat is bad. Trans fat and saturated fats are unhealthy because they can adversely effect blood cholesterol levels and increase the risk of heart disease. However, unsaturated fats can have the opposite effect-improving blood cholesterol levels and lowering the risk of heart disease in other ways.

The main sources of trans fat are processed and ready-to-eat foods, commercially fried foods, stick margarine, and snack foods. Saturated fats are found mainly in meats, butter, and high-fat dairy products. The main sources of unsaturated fats are vegetable oils, as well as nuts and seeds, which Dr. Tindall would like to see receive greater positive emphasis. Rich in heart-healthy nutrients and unsaturated fats, a number of studies have reported that nuts are linked to a lower risk of developing heart disease.

Fruits, Vegetables, and Dairy Products

The current guidelines recommend three to five servings per day of vegetables, two to four servings per day of fruits, and two to three servings per day from the milk, cheese, and yogurt group. Dr. Tindall believes that Americans should be eating more servings of fruits and vegetables, while eating fewer dairy products. He says that most healthy adults do not need two to three servings of dairy in their daily diets.

However, it is necessary to get adequate calcium to promote normal bone development and maintenance. But most people do not need the amount of calcium provided by two to three daily servings of dairy products. Moreover, there’s some question about the benefits of dairy products as a tool for preventing osteoporosis. In studies of adult women, researchers have found that greater consumption of milk or other food sources of calcium does not substantially protect against hip or forearm fractures.

This, combined with other findings that suggest that high calcium intake may increase the risk for certain cancers, suggests the value of reducing dairy in the diet, seeking calcium from other sources if necessary, and finding other, more effective means of preventing osteoporosis. For more information.

Meat Group

Currently, red meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, and nuts are grouped together in the USDA’s Food Guide Pyramid. These foods share the property that they are higher sources of protein than the other food groups, providing the body with the amino acid building blocks it requires to make any protein it needs. However, these dietary proteins are not all equally healthy.

For example, many nutritionists would like to see more emphasis on fish (the American Heart Association now recommends two servings of fish per week), with red meat limited in its recommendations for consumption. This is because intake of red meat has been associated with increased risk for colon cancer. Also, within the category of meat, some types are especially bad for health, including processed and preserved meats, such as bacon, sausage, and luncheon (salami-type and cured) meats. These meats are high in salt and preservatives and are generally higher in saturated fat.

There is also considerable evidence that replacing red meat with nuts, legumes, chicken, and fish reduces the risk of developing heart disease. Dried beans, peas, and other legumes are very low in saturated fat, yet they are high in dietary fiber and good sources of protein.

Alcohol

During the last several years, convincing research has shown that moderate alcohol consumption can reduce risk of heart disease and ischemic stroke. In future revisions of the pyramid.

Nutrition scientists at Harvard analyzed the findings from several studies of alcohol intake. The studies, which included research from the United States, Britain, Denmark, and France, investigated the relation between alcohol intake and the development of heart disease. The combined analysis revealed that moderate drinking (about one to two drinks per day for women, and two to three for men) reduces the risk of heart attack in healthy individuals by at least 25 percent. The authors found equal benefit for beer, wine, and spirits.

One negative consequence of moderate alcohol use is an increase in breast cancer risk. (One drink per day is associated with about a 9 percent increase in risk.) However, recent studies suggest that this risk may be avoided with adequate intake of folate. No other adverse health effects of moderate alcohol intake have been established.

On the other hand, the adverse health and societal impact of excessive alcohol consumption is well-documented. Clearly, it’s better not to drink at all than to drink to excess. However, studies consistently show that moderate drinkers have the lowest mortality rates. Since each person is different, the best advice is to discuss these risks and benefits with your physician. Certainly, pregnant women should avoid alcohol altogether, as should people with a history of alcohol abuse.

Temper the Pyramid so that it Reflects:

• Whole grain foods, vegetable oils, and fruits and vegetables are emphasized.
• Physical activity and weight control are emphasized.
• Red meat and refined grains (like white bread and white rice) are de-emphasized and listed as items that should only be eaten sparingly.
• Nuts and legumes receive their own category.
  Dairy products are de-emphasized and placed in a category with calcium supplements.
• A daily multivitamin tablet is recommended for most people, and moderate daily alcohol intake is a healthy option unless this does not make sense for the individual.

This can be accomplished by following Dr. Tindall’s recommendations from the table below:

(1) Eggs are often restricted to about 2 eggs per week for those suffering from high cholesterol. If you desire eggs, an egg substitute may be best for you.

In fact, there are many factors that will have an effect on the energy expended while performing an activity. However, the numbers given below will help you in determining your energy expenditure and combining that with your nutritional plan.

Example:

To obtain the number of kcalories (calories) burned, simply multiply the energy expended in the table by the number of minutes you perform that activity. For example, suppose you weigh 110 pounds and run (jog) at an average pace of 10 minutes per mile for 45 minutes. From the table below you will expend 7.5 kcal/min x 45 minutes = 338 kcalories.

How does this calorie number fit with your nutrition, i.e., how much should you eat? Lets show you an easy way to calculate your resting energy expenditure (REE) so that youll have some idea of a “ball park” number of calories to eat each day. The REE is the number of calories necessary to eat to sustain your current body weight without any physical activity. If you exercise, youll have to add calories to this amount to balance what you eat versus what you expend. To obtain your REE, simply multiply your body weight by 10 and add 200. If we use the 110 pound jogger above as our example, we get 110 x 10 + 200 = 1300 kcalories as the REE. However, the jogger burned an additional 338 kcal during his or her physical activity. Thus, adding the additional expenditure the person would need to consume 1300 kcal + 338 kcal = 1638 kcal to maintain current body weight on the day of activity.

As you may have guessed, if you want to weigh less, eat less, and if you want to weigh more, eat more. For example, suppose you weigh 150, but desire to weigh 130; instead of using 150 as the base for your REE, you would use 130 (130 x 10 + 200 = 1500 kcal). By using 150 as the base number, you would get 1700 kcal for the REE. If indeed you desired to weigh 130 pounds by the end of a 12 month period, using the latter means you would be eating 200 calories more per day than needed; this would result in about a 20 pound weight gain during the course of a year. By using 1300 kcal per day as the base, you would be at or near your 130 pound target goal at the end of 12 months, i.e., you would have a 20 pound weight loss during the year (about 0.4 pounds loss per week). This is not the most scientific way to obtain the REE, but adequate to allow you to understand and become accustomed to the number of calories you need on a daily basis.

There are two methods to get the body to burn fat through exercise and, there are proponents throughout the health and fitness industry for each of these methods, i.e., there are two camps of philosophy on which method is best and sometimes arguments can become pretty heated. Every exercise you perform though, will fall on or between these methods when it comes to burning fat. Additionally, you should know that simply by exercising, the body will burn more fat calories after the exercise than if you don’t exercise. In this respect you should ask what is more important, the exercise or the method?

The two methods are very simple: 1) The body burns fat best through low-energy use, sustained exercise. An example would be a long, slow walk or ride on a stationary bike at about 50 to 60% of maximal heart rate. For a conditioned person, this exercise level could be sustained for at least 4-6 hours. At this level, it would take almost three hours before the body begins to burn more fat than carbohydrates. 2) The body burns fat best by using a much higher-intensity exercise such as running or biking at 70-80% level of maximum heart rate. Using this method, the body begins to burn more fat than carbohydrates after about 18 minutes. Regardless of method used, the body will burn more fat than carbohydrates after exercising. It will do this for up to 6 hours.

Is one of these methods better than the other for me? Two questions need to be asked: 1) Do you have time to perform method one? 2) Are you in good enough shape to perform method two?

The reality is that when beginning an exercise, the first fuel source used is glycogen (sugar in the cell that comes from carbohydrates that we eat). Also, fat and, to a limited extent, protein provide energy, but not as efficiently or as quickly. Because glycogen is continually replenished, it will continue to be the fuel used until the cell cannot supply enough for the demand. Once this happens, the body becomes aware of it and begins to draw energy from free-fatty acids that are being metabolized from adipose (fat) tissue stores on the body. As a simple explanation, higher intakes of oxygen due to exercise and increased blood flow in the fat tissues begin to stimulate this process. When the body reaches this point, more calories will be burned from fat than from carbohydrates.

What are examples of exercises that will get one to the point of burning fat faster than carbohydrates? The first example is running. If you jog at an average pace of 9-11 minutes per mile, it will required about 40 minutes of jogging before your body begins to burn more fat than carbohydrates. However, if you run faster, say about 6-7 minutes per mile, you’ll reach this point in about 20 minutes or one-half the time of the slow pace. Sounds both logical and reasonable. Why? Because after each respective time, the energy demands on the cell are such that glycogen stores become depleted to the point that they cannot provide the energy they initially provided at the beginning of the exercise. When this happens, energy supply is then drawn from metabolized fatty acids. Sounds great doesn’t it? Yes, but there are some pros and cons.

Suppose you like to run, but also want to retain as much lean muscle mass as you can so that you have a more symmetrical shape than the typical large legs and skinny upper torso of a marathon runner. If this is what you desire, you have to be careful about how long you exercise at the increased intensity. For example, if you jog more than about 5-7 miles per day, glycogen cells become depleted, energy from fatty acids being metabolized cannot supply enough energy for demand and the body goes into a virtual starvation mode. But, it needs energy from someplace, where does this energy come from? The answer is from protein, but not from protein you ingest. The protein energy supply comes from cannibalization of muscle tissue, i.e., muscle mass is lost to the body’s energy demand. In other words, the muscles are eaten alive. This is why marathon runners cannot keep muscle mass on their physique. Thus, we were able to burn lots of fat calories through long-distance running, but we lost muscle mass. If this is what you want then, this is a good method of exercising for you.

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For another example, which showcases method two, let’s look at speed athletes. By this I refer to track and field athletes who run short distances very quickly. Have you ever noticed how well muscled and lean they are? Why? Method two uses the principle of very quick glycogen depletion in the cell. The best way to visualize the cell is as a plastic cup with a hole in its bottom. The cup is filled with water that represents glycogen in your cells. Your goal is to run a 100 meter dash and reach the 100 meter mark before your cup is empty. Thus, your coach or trainer fills the cup with water and you’re off. Just as you cross the finish line, your cup drains the last bit of water from the hole. This is the same thing that happens in repeated sprints. Each time you sprint, the glycogen in the cell, like water in the cup, is reduced to almost nothing then, after a short rest of 15-20 seconds, the glycogen stores within the cell are fully restored. This process can continue for about 20-40 minutes of total exercise, neglecting rest time. Once this point is past, the body then begins to burn more fat than carbohydrates or cell glycogen. Why are speed athletes able to retain muscle mass in this manner? The answer is a simple one. Because the athlete stops running when cell glycogen stores can no longer be replenished, energy demands are supplied from metabolized fatty acids. Also, because they cease exercise activity at this point, cannibalization of the muscles do not occur as in distance running since all energy demands are now being met from stored fat supplies. Remember that after exercising you will continue to burn more fat than carbohydrates since most glycogen stores will be gone by the end of a moderate intensity workout. Also, due to workout intensity, the amount of fat burned after these type workouts are a little higher than for biking or distance running.

For the latter method you would need to ask yourself if you would be individually up to the challenge to run sprints since these are a more professional level exercise and demand much more from the body. If you are elderly or have minor injuries, this may not be recommended. Another way is to blend both methods for your exercise program. A good example of this would be interval training. Let us use a stationary bike as an example. Begin by riding at an easy pace of 60-75% maximal heart rate for five minutes. Then, sprint or pedal as fast as you can until you reach about 90-95% maximal heart rate and maintain this pace for 60-90 seconds. Do this for a duration of 40-50 minutes. This will burn more fat calories than the steady pace, but because you slow down to a normal pace afterward, glycogen in the cells is replenished somewhat and allows you to continue to exercise over time without drawing on energy from your muscles., i.e., the muscles won’t be cannibalized.

Now that we know the basic methods and why fat is burned, what are some exercises that one can use besides running, jogging, biking, and so forth? Strength training is an excellent exercise to burn fat. Fat is used for 60% of the fuel source for this activity when lifting a moderate to heavy load. It’s a good activity that falls between the methods above and like interval training, has significant benefits. Instead of being aerobic like jogging or biking, it is anaerobic like sprinting and works on the same principle. Also, because you are pushing heavier loads for resistance, more energy is required for a given period. For example, an hour of jogging at the average pace will burn about 400-450 calories depending on body size, etc. Performing a strength-training regimen for the same amount of time will burn about 700 calories. Additionally, the more lean muscle mass you have, the less fat you’ll have. This does not mean you have to be a body builder because it’s not about the typical stereotype of a bunch of beefy guys screaming in the gym, it’s about you, your overall health, and your longevity. The facts are that growing muscles maintain an elevated metabolism for up to 15 hours after a workout and that they burn fat for fuel. When doing these exercises, move quickly from one to another allowing only 45-60 seconds between sets and maintaining a heart rate or 70-85% of maximum.

In reality, regardless of the method you use, the amount of fat burned while actually performing the activity is not much different between low or high intensity exercises. In summary, the best method to use to get more fat calories burning than carbohydrates are more like method two if you are capable of doing them. Examples would be interval biking or running, high intensity sprints, running at a 6-7 minute per mile pace, strength training, and similar exercises. Also, speed-strength exercises such as plyometrics, ballistics, and full-body exercises are even more efficient (read more about these in the “Training” section).

Following are some basic recommendations, which assume that you are already on an exercise regimen of some type:

1. Plan nutritional needs around your program.
2. Select exercises that you enjoy to begin.
3. Choose a variety of exercises and cross train, this makes it fun and keeps the body guessing.
4. Strength train 2-3 days per week. This burns 60% fat as a fuel source.
5. Perform cardiovascular exercises 2-3 days per week.
6. Work out at an intensity of at least 65-80% of your maximal heart rate for best benefits.
7. Consume lesser amounts fats and sugars.
8. Higher intensity exercises burn more calories and thus, more fat calories, especially after the workout. Do these if you can on a regular basis.
9. Constantly change, at least each two weeks, order, duration and intensity of your workout.
10. Stick to your program! Persistence is the main key to success!