Common weight loss inhibitors
Are you all feeling focused this week...have you banked some decent exercise so far? There’s still plenty of time to get up and get moving especially with the weekend on the horizon. Have you been trying to make small, deliberate changes to your healthier eating that you can sustain for the long term. Are you feeling positive and ready to share your positive health and fitness news with me during a session? Today’s Topic It’s very common to be always struggling with “weight”. You gain weight on the scales when the amount of energy taken in from food and drink exceeds the amount of energy used for metabolic processes (breathing, blinking, organs etc) and exercise or activity. Excess energy is stored as fat. Here are some weight loss inhibitors: - Bowel problems - Eating the wrong types of foods - Excessive food intake – portion sizes are too big (especially wrong types of foods) - Insulin imbalances (caused by too many sugary carbohydrates) - Lack of enzymes - Lack of exercise - Poor digestive function - Mineral and vitamin imbalances - Parasites or worms causing a voracious appetite - Poor adrenal function - Sluggish liver - Thyroid problems - Water retention - Weak Kidneys - Yeast overgrowth
Are you overeating: When we eat too much we can inflame the stomach lining which causes an excess of heat in the stomach. This heat can make you want to eat more! A disruption of organ function or gland imbalances can cause you to over eat too.
Food Cravings: Sugary, carbohydrate rich foods and sweets raise the level of the feel-good chemicals in your body (serotonin and norepinephrine). Sugar enters the blood stream very quickly and causes a rush of insulin along with a rush of serotonin. With the sudden rise in blood sugar, the insulin breaks it down very quickly leading to a drop in both sugar and endorphins. This leaves you feeling worse than before and you will probably reach for more sugary foods to boost your mood out of the crash. This is setting up a cycle of food cravings, weight gain, fatigue and mood swings which is very difficult to break. How much sugar are you consuming a week and are you addicted?
Sugar Cravings: You will crave sugar if your blood sugar levels are out of balance. Also if you have nutrient imbalances, yeast overgrowth, a diet rich in refined, processed carbs and junk food you could be suffering with hypoglycaemia which is causing you to crave even more sugar! You will be a victim of the see saw effect of soaring and plummeting sugar levels. This is why when you eat one chocolate bar you crave another...it gives you a rush but the drop is never far behind.
Insulin Imbalances: When we eat food, glucose from the digestive breakdown of the food is absorbed into your gut and blood. The body takes what is required and then produces insulin to lower the glucose levels back to normal converting the excess glucose into glycogen which is stored in the liver. This works perfectly if you eat a healthy diet. However if you eat a excessive sugary foods the system goes haywire. Your body starts to increase the amount of insulin needed to break down the sugars. Eventually you become resistant to the insulin and instead of converting the excess glucose to glycogen it turns into fat! You will then be stuck in a cycle of unstable blood sugar, increasing weight which means your body doesn’t break down sugar effectively and cravings for sugar, sweets and unrefined carbohydrates like bread.
Fill up on the good stuff: Try 30 days without added sugar! You can support your system with live, nutrient dense super foods to balance your blood. The super food Spirulina is a great choice. Wholegrains and fresh veggies are on the list as well as sweet potatoes and squash to curb the sweet tooth. They won’t elevate your blood sugar levels in the same way that sugary foods and sweets do.
Practise portion control: Be mindful of your portions and understand when you should stop eating. Eat slowly and recognise when you are full. Fitness Fact of the week You’ll eat 15 % fewer calories if you sit down and slow down your meal rather than eating on the hoof. If you rush at meal times studies have shown you’ll eat more! When you scoff your meal your hypothalamus (part of brain that senses when you’re full) doesn’t receive the signals & could explain why you feel hungrier sooner! Quote of the week “Your attitude determines your direction” Keep active & see you soon Rosie