By Kay Leaman, Health Architect, HealthyDay HealthyLife
Happy New Year! This year can be a year of change, of promise and of surprises. Personally, I am looking forward to stepping into new habits and new adventures. I hope yours will be a year of adventure and surprises too!
Last month, we covered the effects of food preservatives in processed food. We also discussed the role of our gut and what can happen when we don’t treat it right. So, what’s next?
#3 Over Eating
Calories in and calories out. Eating too many calories in a short amount of time adds fat, because what the body can’t convert it stores. Eating carbohydrates causes our glycemic index to rise. This releases energy more quickly and causes us to feel hungry sooner which leads to eating more. On the flip side, when we eat low glycemic meals, energy is released over time and we feel fuller longer; thus we eat less. Bottom line, our bodies can only convert so many carbohydrates into energy at a time. Did you know that if you reduce your food intake by 500 calories per day (182,500 calories per year) you have the potential to lose of 52 pounds of fat over one year?
Suggestions: Eat smaller meals and focus on whole foods vs. processed foods. Search for a glycemic foods index that you like and keep it in the kitchen. This index can aid in substituting higher glycemic foods for lower options. Space your meals throughout the day, eating less in the evening. Be sure you have fiber in each meal. Lastly, practice eating more slowly which helps with eating less.
#4 Slow Metabolism
Learning what can cause a slow metabolism can help us make the changes to keep our metabolism running in our favor.
Skipping meals means we have less glucose (fuel). So, our metabolism slows down to conserve energy.
If the body is triggered into starvation mode, our next meal can be stored as fat to be used later.
Making poor choices or overeating when we eat again can keep the body’s metabolism slow. The body learns and will protect itself by maintaining a healthy fat storage.
Stress releases hormones that also aid in fat storage.
We need micro-nutrients as these are difficult to get in our diet. Other important nutrients are magnesium, alpha lipoid acid, coenzyme Q10 and curcumin turmeric extract as well as milk thistle and N-acetyl-L-cysteine (aids the liver). These nutrients need to be in their correct forms and amounts in order to be processed and utilized efficiently in the body.
We also need to exercise. In order to maximize the effectiveness of our efforts, we should move to reach our maximum heart rate (Look up the equation of finding your maximum heart rate) for one minute then rest for two minutes. Repeat; 10 cycles = 30 minutes. The body will continue to burn fat for 12-14 hours. Building muscle also burns fat, so consider adding resistance to your exercises.
Looking at things differently or ‘out of the box’ from our current thought processes can create change and that change can create success. It’s not about a quick fix; it’s about the long haul. The long haul creates permanent change and allows the body to heal and function the way it was created to. Our bodies depend on our minds and habits, so they can deliver on everything we expect from them.
Love your body and it will love you back. Here’s to Health! succeed.hdhl@gmail.com
