10 Weight Loss Tips

In my last post I discussed my experiences regarding a 3-day water fast I undertook as an experiment.

While my comments box did not overflow, the feedback I got was much appreciated. I also had a number of friends ask me whether I had lost weight as a result.

This surprised me because I had never really intended for the fast to be a weight loss tool. Yes, I did lose about 4 or 5kg's, but that weight loss was temporary and within a week of returning to "normal" my weight had again stabilized close to where it was prior to fasting.

My intention was to raise my own awareness of the effect of food and drink on my body ... and to go outside my comfort zone for a few days longer than any previous fasting experience. I guess I was also just a little bit curious to see if I could really do it in the first place. A small test of will power.

Anyway, all this talk of weight loss got me thinking that this was something that people are truly fascinated about. So I decided to do a post off the top of my head called "10 weight loss tips".

Here they are in no particular order.

1. Try to minimise emotional stress. Very often we turn to food as a way to numb our feelings. When we over-eat, so much of our energy is diverted towards digestion that we are left with very little to invest elsewhere. And of course, emotional stress also places a huge demand on our energy reserves too.

2. Clean house ... and kitchen. Decluttering is always a good idea. But throwing out any food that we know is energy-sapping gives one even more satisfaction. Processed foods are a source of chemically-altered fats and refined sugars. In short they are "empty" calories, providing the drawback of excess calories without the attendant benefit of nutrients essential to proper cellular function.

This results in imbalance ... and ultimately symptoms of this imbalance, such as excess body fat. Left unchecked, we become increasingly more at risk of serious illness such as metabolic syndrome, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

3. Go shopping every few days. Human beings were designed to respond best to a diet rich in fresh fruit and vegetables. And the only way to get these fresh is to buy them as close to harvest as you can get ... and consume them quickly.

4. Daily activity. Just about every program on the internet today suggests we can get everything we need from 20 minutes or less of vigorous resistance exercise or interval training, maybe 3 times a week. This may be an efficient way of increasing your calorie burn post exercise ... but it's not enough to keep you physically fit.

And if you're not physically fit, you can't be that healthy. And if you're not that healthy you are exposed to manifestations of this such as excess body fat.

5. Retire earlier. No, I don't mean stop working. I mean go to bed earlier than you normally do. We spend our nights trying to de-stress in front of the computer or the TV. By the time we go to bed we are wired and our systems are full of the stress hormone cortisol. This works against melatonin, a natural sleep-inducing hormone ... and we end up getting short-changed.

So go to bed earlier, read and gently wind down. When you close your eyes, learn to leave your day behind. When you sleep you recuperate. If you don't get enough, fat loss will be virtually impossible.

6. Stop going out to eat ... and ordering in. You always end up eating calorie-dense, nutrient depleted high-fat cooked "addiction" food. This may taste great, but it will set you back in your efforts to lose weight. Instead, make this an occasional treat so you still keep a healthy state of mind.

7. Social support. If your family aren't with you when it comes to healthy eating initiatives, then you are fighting a losing battle. It's just that simple. But don't impose your regime on your family either. It all comes down to the art of negotiation. Don't blow it, because fat loss doesn't happen in a domestic war zone.

8. If you buy it, you will consume it. That goes for the booze you buy in case your friends pop over for a visit. And it goes for the chocolate you buy just for the occasional treat. When the addiction monster raises its ugly head, all resistance will crumble. Better not to have anything "on tap" in the first place. Temptation is much easier to resist that way.

9. Keep your head. If you have a blow out, don't compound it. Dust yourself off and get back on track ... and learn what you can for next time. Berating yourself will only make you feel worse and you want to keep your emotions on an even keel.

10. Finally, keep learning. Keep an open mind and never stop experimenting. But don't become an information hound. Dig until you find someone who you think you can trust, then learn what you can from them while keeping an open mind. Don't blow with the wind.

Until next time, my svelte little friends!

Weight Loss Woes

I watched "The Biggest Loser" UK version last night as it gets down to the closing stages.

I am fascinated by the whole mentality surrounding such a popular show. But what struck me most was that the show continues to promote such a blind obsession with weight-loss.

Duh! I hear you say ... this is "The Biggest Loser".

But there was Liz ... a lovely lass who'd just spent the entire week eating quality, healthy, organic foods and working her butt off under the skillful direction of the resident super-trainer ... and, shock, horror, she'd actually gained one pound!

And she was in floods of tears. Not because she knew her game was up (ok, maybe). But more because she appeared genuinely mortified that her body had actually responded in a perfectly natural manner. She'd lost fat, put on muscle ... and gained one lousy pound.

Big Deal!

Here's a girl who's confidence and self esteem is already on thin ice ... and the message she's getting (and sending out to I don't know how many other million viewers) is that she's let herself down and is defective in some way. A sure mark of under-performance!

Personally I thought they were all great. Emotional, sure. I guess that's cool. Inspirational, absolutely!

So why reinforce that absolute weight-loss is the gold standard measurement of new-found healthy living? It's not. What happened to Liz was unique for her body at that stage in her development. Her weight-loss had levelled out ... temporarily. Expectation incongruent with natural physiology. Again.

She was crushed. Why?

And what message does that send out if not to vindicate restrictive diets and excessive cardio?

Neanderthals one. Thinking human beings zero.

Liz' diet and her professional training were spot-on. But how many people (Liz included) will have had a different take-out? She could have done better. She could have sacrificed more. She could have eaten less. Bull!

Healthy weight-loss should not be excessively restrictive. This myth, seductive though it may be, is unsupported by science ... and ultimately emotionally destructive and unsustainable?

Liz ... you did great! And you now have the confidence to go travelling.

In fairness to the show, it is absolutely rivetting, gut-wrenching to the emotions and a darn good watch! Maybe they could add some "after the weigh-in" counselling footage that doesn't cross the line of being patronizing? Nah ... that would be way too sophisticated. We want blood and tears.

And the contestants all appear to benefit, even if some don't actually grow up.