Twinkies or Tangerines?

It was all over the news recently that a professor of nutrition at Kansas State University lost 27 pounds in 8 weeks on a diet of Twinkies and soda pop. The media lauded the fact that that he lowered his level of triglycerides and also lowered his LDL cholesterol and raised his HDL, or “good” cholesterol.  I will leave the discussion of cholesterol as an appropriate marker of health for another time.

Nutrition vs Calories

The professor achieved these results consuming 1800 calories a day, along with a plethora of supplements (the part the media only alluded to). Why all the supplements; because there is a profound difference between calories and nutrition. Calorie is a measure of the amount of potential energy that exists in a food. Scientifically, one calorie is the amount of a given substance needed to raise 1 gram of water 1 degree Centigrade. Nutrition on the other hand refers to the vitamins, minerals and enzymes that nature puts into the food at the peak of its freshness. The best food has both calories and nutrition. The degree that a food that you eat looks differently from the original state the less nutrition per calorie you receive.

Short Term Weight Loss vs Long Term Health Loss

So, while the dear professor may indeed have received those results in the short term, the long-term costs to his health are yet to be seen.  The problem with a weight loss diet based on processed foods and soda pop is that the long-term effect on your health is detrimental as the increase in oxidative stress on the body from processed foods is enormous. The greater the oxidative stress, the worse your health.

I also don’t believe that the good professor will actually keep the weight off.  Over the years I am sure that you have heard of many “quick weight loss” diets that promised outstanding results.  They are generally called “Fad” diets because they don’t work for permanent weight control.

It is true that maintaining a healthy weight is important for your best health.  Doing so in an appropriate manner based on nutrition as opposed to simply calories is the best path to looking good in your bathing suit in the short term, and living “Health-fully” in the long term.  This is what I think that looks like:

Weight Loss for Your Full Potential

Optimize Your Metabolism

Weight control is best achieved when your metabolism is functioning at peak performance.  Many patients come to my office frustrated because they eat well and exercise yet that spare tire just won’t come off.  Often, their adrenal glands and/or thyroid are out of whack.  These can make weight loss frustrating if not impossible. Other hormone imbalances can further complicate the problem.

Balance Your Neurotransmitters

Neurotransmitter imbalances often come along with metabolic imbalances because of how we respond to stress.  Hunger and food cravings can often be diminished with amino acid supplementation once we understand which neurotransmitters are too low or too high.

Eat Fresh

Eat a low glycemic diet.  That means foods that don’t send your insulin levels sky high.  This typically means whole fresh foods rather than processed carbohydrates and sugars.

Don’t just count calories, make your calories count.  Nutritionally, there is no substitute for the broad range of phytonutrients found in fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds.  Lean protein preferably from grass-fed beef and wild-caught fish are also important for building muscle and maintaining lean body mass.

Move!

Physical exercise is important for your metabolism, your mood and as you age to staying flexible and mobile.  Research also shows that it improves mental functioning and prevents disease.

Manage Stress

Stress increases cortisol levels which begins the stress response cascade that makes weight loss difficult.  Long-term it has more far-reaching effects on your immune system and sets the stage for chronic degenerative disease.

Eliminate Toxins

The question is not “Are we toxic?” The question is “How toxic are we?” We are inundated by chemical toxins and heavy metals on a daily basis from the air we breathe, the water we drink and even the food we eat. Since the 1900s we have created more than 800,000 new chemicals that persist in our air, our soil and our ground water. As we take these toxins in what is not eliminated by our kidneys, liver and sweat are stored in our fat. As you lose weight those toxins are re-released into our system and may cause you to feel badly as you diet. These toxins can also make it more difficult for your body to metabolize your fat. To be successful, detoxification must be a part of any diet.

Follow these 6 steps and you will look good and feel good.

To learn more about the comprehensive weight loss program at Full Potential Health Care click here.