5 tips for a healthier, leaner body…

January 30th, 2012
  1. Many of us underestimate the need for sleep – what causes us to sleep, what occurs during sleep, how our body responds to a lack of sleep, and what function(s) sleep fulfils. When daily sleep time is less than an individual needs, a “sleep debt” develops. Even small daily reductions in sleep time can accumulate across days to cause a sleep debt. If sleep needs are not met, a progressive sleep debt occurs and eventually the body requires that the debt be paid. It doesn’t appear that we are able to adapt to getting less sleep than our body requires. Lack of sleep also places a significant amount of stress on your body, raising cortisol (a stress hormone) levels and, in addition to the myriad of detrimental effects on health, lack of sleep can also make us fat!  Hmmmm, that got your attention. That’s right, besides impaired recovery and repair and decreased growth hormone, sleep deprivation can cause elevated cortisol levels, which influence our blood sugar and increase our risk of excess fat deposition.
  2. Breaking through the dreaded plateau is a common dilemma. You must remember that you body is a mirror image of your lifestyle. If you start at 85 kilos in a quest to reach 60 kilos, but get stuck at 75 kilos, it’s not due to any mystical phenomenon. Quite simply, you are stuck at 75 kilos because you are eating and exercising like a 75 kilo person. Once you tweak your diet and exercise regime to reflect that of a 60 kilo person, your body has no choice but to follow you to your goal – guaranteed!
  3. Don’t eat standing up! So many of our excess calories are consumed unconsciously … nibbling while cooking, gazing into the pantry, clearing up after dinner, etc. Make a rule for yourself that you don’t eat unless your food is on a plate and you’re sitting at the table.  This will simply make you more conscious of the ‘little extras’ you’re putting in your mouth and will help you shed a few unwanted kilos.
  4. Aim for ‘lean’ rather than ‘light’. We’re all obsessed with the number on the scales, but it’s important to remember it’s possible to be lighter, yet fatter, if we try to follow over-restrictive fads! We all know weight can fluctuate by a kilo or two in a day, so it’s not the ideal method of measuring progress. Speak to a trainer at your local gym about having your body composition measured and monitored. A healthy level of body fat for women is between 18 and 28 per cent.
  5. Interval training (short intense bursts of strength and/or cardio) is more effective than straight cardiovascular exercise for boosting your metabolism and burning body fat. Following high intensity interval training the body enters a state known as ‘excess post-exercise oxygen consumption’, or EPOC. After you finish your workout, your body will be working overtime for up to 24 hours in order to restore your body back to its resting state. This means you will be burning energy/kilojoules at a much higher rate, even whilst sedentary. Participate in interval training on a regular basis and you will become a fat burning machine!

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Vitamin supplements: good for our health or expensive urine?

January 16th, 2012

I’ve heard the statement about ‘expensive urine’ on several occasions from nutritionally-illiterate doctors. While the statement is physiologically ludicrous, unfortunately much of the medical fraternity are still on the anti-supplement bandwagon. The fact is … almost every substance we ingest shows up in urine. Why do you think athletes are routinely drug-tested via a urine samples? Once ingested, traces of substances such as anabolic steroids, recreational and prescription drugs will be evident in your urine … but it would be ridiculous to tell a body builder that the steroids don’t have any affect because it ends up in his urine! If this were the case, performance enhancing drugs wouldn’t be an issue!

So now that we have all of this nonsense cleared up, is it worthwhile taking vitamin supplements? I’d have to say yes – and here’s why…

There is a significant distinction between “vitamin deficiency” and “sub-optimal intakes.” While it’s rare for developed nations to see nutritional deficiency diseases such as rickets or scurvy, the purpose of RDI’s for essential nutrients is to prevent nutritional deficiencies in 97 per cent of the population (in a given demographic). It is not a recommendation for ‘optimum’ health, but rather a recommended dose to reduce the risk of disease resulting from a true deficiency.

A recent study showed that men taking multivitamins had significant improvements on major clinical measures of stress and general well-being. In the study, 215 healthy males received either a multi-vitamin and mineral supplement or a placebo, for just over a month. Compared with the placebo, those taking the multi-vitamin (high in B-complex & C vitamins) had significant improvements in cognitive function, perceived stress and mood states. One study, “Vitamins for Chronic Disease Prevention in Adults: Clinical Applications” stated:

“Suboptimal intake of some vitamins, above levels causing classic vitamin deficiency, is a risk factor for chronic diseases and common in the general population, especially the elderly.”

“Most people do not consume an optimal amount of all vitamins by diet alone. Pending strong evidence of effectiveness from randomised trials, it appears prudent for all adults to take vitamin supplements.”

In a second article in JAMA, “Vitamins For Chronic Disease Prevention In Adults: Scientific Review” Robert Fletcher, MD, MSc and Kathleen Fairfield, MD, DrPH, concluded:

“Some groups of patients are at higher risk for vitamin deficiency and sub-optimal vitamin status.” “Inadequate intake of several vitamins has been linked to chronic diseases, including coronary heart disease, cancer and osteoporosis”.

I view supplements precisely as the name suggests – ‘supplements’. They are not to replace healthy, balanced diet … nor should they be used to in some way compensate for poor dietary habits. They are best used to supplement a healthy, balanced diet. I have heard many people say that they took supplements for a while but ‘didn’t notice anything’, so they stopped. I think this stems from lack of knowledge about nutrition and confusion/unrealistic expectations that supplements are some sort of miracle pills.

While I’m not suggesting you must take a fist full of pills each day (although I do this myself!), I generally recommend taking a daily multi-vitamin & mineral tablet and fish oil capsules.

Remember, if you are taking medication, it’s imperative to advise your prescribing doctor of your intention to add supplements to your diet to ensure there are no contraindications.

It’s interesting… we take pharmaceutical drugs, endure emotional and physical stress, consume and inhale chemicals, all of which rob our body of nutrients. Yet we are often adamant that taking in additional nutrients is in some way bad for our health or, if we listen to some doctors … a rip off scheme resulting in ‘expensive urine’. Food (and supplements!) for thought.

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DONNA’S TIPS TO FAST TRACK NEW HABITS

January 10th, 2012

It may take a lifetime to form our behavioural habits, whether good or bad, but practice makes perfect! No-one else created your habits. They are your invention. You may have copied your family, your friends or your favourite celebrities but ultimately it comes down to you. The good news is that you created those habits so you have just as much power to change them into healthy habits to last a new lifetime.

The most crucial emotion to remember is to stay positive. Edison tried 10,000 times to get his light bulb invention to work but failed each time. His lack of success was no deterrent for the scientist claiming “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” You may have tried 10,000 diets that don’t work either and if you are plagued by persistent negative thoughts towards life these new changes won’t work either.

They say we have to practice something 1000 times to form a habit. Lord knows you’ve practiced your bad habits at least this many times, so you’re a champion at them! In terms of a lifetime it’s a drop in the ocean. During this process make an extra effort to eat nutritious and balanced meals because this will help improve your mood and feed that positive outlook.

It’s also crucial to sleep well. Missing sleep is a major hindrance to healthy living so make sure you have adequate rest.

Don’t forget to exercise either. When you feel down take a brisk 30-minute walk. It may be the last thing you feel like but it will make you feel fully revived and ready for your new life.

TIPS:
- Make a pact to meet a friend/colleague at regular times to exercise with you.

- Make exercise and eating well easy to do – put it in your path of daily tasks, book an appointment with yourself to walk, prepare food etc.

- Take the pressure off! Tell yourself to just start and then decide if you want to continue.

- If you find it difficult to change your behaviour in specific situations (eg over-eating as soon as you get home because of stress, eating from boredom, picking) remove yourself from the situation. Maybe park the car and walk to wind down before you get home or find new tasks to relieve boredom.

- Take it one day at a time and remember to pat yourself on the back for every success in the right direction, no matter how small.

- Notice and acknowledge what is working because this will give you the confidence to continue. You’ll see it when you believe it!

PEER PRESSURE
It’s one thing to change your own psychology when embarking on a new eating and exercise regime but watch in wonder at how all of your friends react too. It’s quite an eye opener.
Often the people you think will be most supportive, turn out to be the most threatened.
They start to notice you are choosing different foods from a menu, bringing lunch to work from home instead of the local sandwich bar and all the questions begin.

Curiosity develops into lectures or challenges on the subject because there is always one friend or colleague who knows better.

Others will always try to sabotage your efforts to change. Often it’s your overweight friend who bonded with you over chocolate cake and cappuccino. Removing the sweets from the relationship leaves the relationship in crumbs.

These people often make themselves feel better by ensuring that you are not going to outshine them. They feel guilty eating that sugar-laden dessert after dinner when you have no intention of joining them. They pressure you in the name of encouragement: `Go on, just have a little bit’ or `One won’t do you any harm’ or the favourite at this time of year is `You only live once.’

You may already be feeling self-conscious about the changes you’re making and become tense at any extra attention.
You may also be bursting to tell everyone of your new-found diet answers and want to bring the world on board.
Here is my advice to fight the peer pressure:
- Be strong – don’t allow others’ insecurities to hinder your ability to make positive changes.
- Be a leader, not a follower. Don’t be afraid to be different. You don’t have to behave in the same way as everyone else just to `fit in.’

-Try not to be evangelistic. If you try to `convert’ others because you are so enthusiastic about your new regime, no matter how genuine your intentions, this is asking for peer pressure. When the results are evident for all to see you will be fighting off the hoards begging for your secret.

-Be patient with yourself.
-Above all else, make the commitment and stick with it. The results will be more than worth it.

NEW YEAR – NEW BODY
The New Year is traditionally the time for new resolutions, reflections and questions.
When it comes to most areas of your life and particularly your health there is really only one question you need to ask: `Is what I am currently doing working for me?’

If the answer is `Yes’, then I doubt very much you would be reading this blog.
Just open your mind enough to think about change. It may be radical change but you will be radically surprised by its benefits. Whether your goal is to trim some body fat, increase strength or endurance for sports conditioning or to take control of ailments such as diabetes or high cholesterol, it is all up to you.

If you find the idea of weighing and calculating your foods a waste of time and energy then I suggest you do not even attempt to at this stage. It will cloud your efforts with a negative association and will soon become a chore that you will drop anyway.

As a very simple rule, if you eat the foods suggested within the basic food listings provided in my books, allowing your hunger to dictate the rest, you will absolutely achieve results.

After all, the `secret’ to weight control is finding a program that you are comfortable to follow for the rest of your life, to maintain a healthy, disease-free body and optimum quality of life. So really, the secret is….that there is no secret!

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Beware of the New Year fads!

January 2nd, 2012

How quickly can you lose fat?

Yep – it’s summer in Oz and the magazines and TV shows all know we’ve made resolutions to get into shape, so they’re giving us their best shot! Now I know I’ve warned you before … but just another little reminder to help you resist being seduced by these ridiculous diet crazes.

We’ve all see the reality TV shows where contestants lose 10 or 15 kilos in a week. To put this into some kind of warped perspective, my dog weighs 9 kilos! So is it possible for ‘mere mortals’ shed the equivalent of a Jack Russell and a half in 7 days, or are we barking up the wrong tree (pardon the pun!).

Let’s look at the maths…

You have to burn off an additional 7,700 calories (32,000kjs) to shed 1 kilo of stored body fat.  At one end of the extreme, if you happened to be eating 7,700 calories more than your daily requirements and you cut back to the appropriate amount, you could lose a kilo of fat a day (7kg in a week).  However, the majority of us are not over-consuming to this degree, so a feasible rate of fat loss is closer to 0.5 – 1.0 kilo a week.

So how can the extreme ‘reality TV weight loss’ be explained? When we gain a significant amount of excess body fat, our organ size and fluid levels increase to accommodate the extra mass, therefore the initial weight lost is generally a combination of fat, fluid and our entire system reducing to its ‘normal’ size and functions. I have also heard a few rumours that the weigh-ins on some of these programs are closer to 10-14 days in ‘real time’, and that contestants may be tempted to reduce fluid and food intake prior to weigh-ins to present a better number on the scales.  My advice? Don’t try this at home! And remember, if it took you two years to gain your excess weight, you cannot expect to lose it all in two weeks.

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How to make your New Years Resolution count!

December 19th, 2011

We do it each and every year … the elusive New Years Resolution.

Some of the most common resolutions revolve around motivation and getting into shape … most of which are slipped into the ‘too hard basket’ before mid-January! You know the cycle all too well. An important event comes up where you want to look your absolute best and you do it – you stick to the diet, bust your butt in the gym, and get your body looking absolutely fabulous. For a week … a day?

And then it’s all over and it’s binge time. A late night binge on Cadbury and alcohol and you’re right back to where you started. Or even worse than when you started. It’s time to stop the quick fix merry-go-round and make a life-long commitment to being healthy and looking great.

Here are some tips to help you do that…

Don’t be a victim

Everyone that has a problem with their weight or how their body looks, always has an irrational reason outside of themselves to blame for them being that way. Always! We all do. It can be a tough reality check. Basically by not being where we want to be in life we rationalise it to ourselves by blaming our problem on someone or something else. That could be our genetics, our metabolism, our job, or partner,  not having enough time, having kids, not having enough money….blah, blah, blah. The list goes on. Everyone does this, and sometimes we won’t even admit these things to ourselves because by doing so we are admitting that we failed. But by justifying our problem we allow ourselves to shift the blame. Don’t let yourself be a victim, and don’t rationalise why you’re in the spot you are in now. Admit to yourself that you’re in the situation you’re in because of what you’ve done, and then make a conscious decision to change your behaviour.

Motivation vs inspiration

Finding your motivation to get in shape outside of yourself in something such as a big event, a pair of ’skinny’ jeans you want to fit into, to impress friends or family is generally a recipe for disaster. Sure you’ll hit the gym and make changes to your diet until you reach that extrinsic goal. But then what? When the event passes, the jeans go out of style, and your new found physique is no longer receiving words of praise and amazement from your friends, your motivation will wane. Now … here’s the difference between motivation and inspiration - if your motivation to be in shape stems from a personal standard that you hold yourself to – your personal core values – then you have long term fuel to sustain consistent results … also known as inspiration! The bottom line is, when all is said and done, you need to have a personal belief that caring for your body with proper nutrition, exercise, and rest is your own responsibility. Another helpful tip is to surround yourself with friends who have healthy habits…

Surround yourself with success

It’s been said that your net financial worth can be predicted by taking the average net worth of the five people you spend the most time with outside of your job. If you take a long hard look around you, I could guarantee that your health and fitness can be predicted by taking the average nutrition and exercise habits of the five people you spend the most time with. Now I’m not suggesting that you have to ditch your friends if their not in tip-top shape. I am suggesting that if your friends have health and fitness habits that are not at least at your own level you should occasionally mix with other health-conscious people. Find yourself a new gym partner or join a class where most of the people in the group are in better shape than you. Whatever you choose, push yourself out of your comfort zone and surround yourself with people who are in great shape.

Positive thinking – you’re at the wheel!

If you have a fat person mindset, no amount of exercise and diet is going to make you lean and fit long-term. You’ll always have fat person tendencies, and sooner or later you’ll “snapback” into your old self – your default. Have you ever wondered why the majority of overweight people on extreme weight loss programs end up gaining all their weight back? To ’succeed’ with such programs you generally have to commit to pre-packaged meals and quit your friends and any inkling of a social life. Of course, once you re-enter the ‘real world’ and you’re confronted with ‘life’, the weight comes back along with the bad habits. If you want to be lean and thin forever, you MUST have the mentality of a lean person…

Here’s some tips to help…

Get organised

You don’t want to have to think about your fitness training or what you are going to eat each day. There will be exceptions to this with vacations and holidays, but in the normal day-to-day, preplanning your training and food intake is the recipe for long term success. Schedule your workouts at the same times and days each week. Make it a habit to pre-pack all of the gear and clothes you need for training the night before. What ever you need to do, you want to do it the same way each time. You want a procedure that with repetition becomes a habit. If you want to ensure healthier food choices, organising your meals is absolutely crucial. Don’t wait until you’re hungry to think about what you’re having for lunch! Do your grocery shopping, cooking, and packaging of meals for the week on the weekend when you have some time. This way you don’t have to think about what to eat when you are tired and stressed – it’s already been prepared and you’ve set yourself up for success.

Don’t aim for the end-point … enjoy the process

If you started a new job tomorrow as a junior assistant, you wouldn’t be aiming to be the Managing Director within a week or two, so you need to stop having such ludicrous expectations of yourself when it comes to getting into shape. Rather than focusing on the end-point, such as your goal weight, just enjoy the fact that you are challenging yourself to learn new habits and ways of handling situations differently. Sure, you’ll stuff it up from time to time, but learn from this and think about how you can handle the situation better next time it arises. This is the logic you would use if you were learning any other skill. Changing behavioral habits is no different. Unrealistic expectations are commonly behind the undoing of plans to get into shape.

In summary

Sometimes it can be fun and challenging to get into great shape for a big event, but imagine how you’d feel if you had the confidence that you are always ready to go, regardless of the situation. In addition to this, you’d be leading your best life possible, with energy to burn and a big smile on your face! Let your efforts to get in shape be fueled by your personal values, hang out with people who are in better shape than you, and set yourself up for success by organising your training and diet and you’ll always be in shape for those special occasions. So what are you waiting for?

TO ALL WHO HAVE SUPPORTED ME OVER THE YEARS, I’D LIKE TO WISH YOU ALL A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL NEW YEAR!  Donna x

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Updated dietary guidelines for Australia …

December 13th, 2011

The NHMRC have released some updated dietary guidelines for Australians.

A few recommendations are as follows:

- it is suggested that men reduce their red meat intake by 20%, while no such recommendation is made for women as we need the iron. My issue with such studies linking red meat to disease is in their definition of red meat. There is a big difference between lean eye fillet and take-away burgers/processed meats….plus, the way meat is cooked can heavily influence any negative health effects, such as char-grilling and production of known carcinogens (cancer causing factors).

- it is recommended that we reduce our potato intake by 40% and increase colourful, fresh plant foods.

- increase wholegrain by 160% and decrease refined grains by 30%.

- increase vegetable intake to 3-5 serves per day and fruit to 2 pieces a day.

Interesting stats:

- 62% of Australian adults are obese

- obesity is the cause of half of all deaths in Australia!

- junk food makes up one third of our diet

- adding an apple a day to every Australian’s diet would result in a $55 million per annum saving in health care costs!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT …

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Regaining your pre-pregnancy body

December 6th, 2011

So what’s the secret formula for regaining your body after pregnancy?

The first piece of advice I can give you is not dissimilar to the advice I offer anyone trying to shed a few kilos … stop looking for a secret formula!

Realistic goal setting: There is no denying that getting back into top shape requires a degree of priority and focus. If your goal is to have a taut tummy, yet you refuse to give up frequent over-indulgence and you don’t fancy ab crunches, chances are you’ll be disappointed.

Consistency: although you must follow a consistent regime, it doesn’t have to be a chore. The best way to stay motivated and reward yourself with results is to make your goals stupendously easy! This way, you will achieve them on a weekly basis and consistency becomes a synch. Did you know you burn over 1000kjs an hour vacuuming!

Stay in it for the long haul: Don’t start a diet or exercise regime that you can’t see yourself keeping up for life. If it is extreme in any way, you usually come to your senses sooner or later, perpetuating the ‘one step forward, three steps back’ scenario.

Sweat and tears are not compulsory: contrary to popular belief, it is not necessary, nor advantageous to endure pain, sweat and starvation in your quest to regain you body shape.

The golden rules:

  1. Walk for 30 minutes, 7 days a week (no excuses!). Push a pram? Even better!
  2. Participate in some form of ‘resistance’ exercise (weights or body weight), 2 – 3 times a week
  3. Avoid fad diets and extreme calorie restriction. Each meal should be composed of a balance of lean protein, unrefined carbohydrates and healthy fats.

Don’t forget the incidentals: if you are unable to get to the gym, just move! It all adds up.

Walk & talk: Instead of catching up with friends for coffee, arrange a walk & talk

Get mobile: you can now download your workouts to your ipod or use a DVD in your living room.

Time management: make an appointment with yourself to exercise. Do not wait until you have spare time…we all know that a mums time is never that spare!

I realise this advice may sound disturbingly sensible and logical to most, but ultimately, there is no magic bullet. Does it take some sort of celebrity super-power to get your body back into shape? No. Can mortals strive to achieve these goals? Absolutely!

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Training in the heat – what you need to know…

November 28th, 2011

Exercising in hot weather puts extra stress on your body – in particular you heart and lungs. You have a double-whammy effect due to the the increase in environment temperature as well as the exercise itself increasing your body temperature. To dissipate heat, more blood circulates through your skin. This leaves less blood for your muscles, which in turn increases your heart rate. Humidity pushes your body temperature higher as it reduces the amount of sweat which can be evaporated from your skin. 

Under normal conditions, your skin, blood vessels and perspiration level are designed to adjust to the heat. But these natural cooling systems may fail if you’re exposed to high temperatures and humidity for too long. The result may be a heat-related illness, such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion or heatstroke.

How to avoid heat-related illnesses

  • Slow down - If you’re used to exercising indoors or in cooler weather, take it easy at first. As your body adapts to the heat, gradually increase the length and intensity of your workouts. If you have a chronic medical condition or take medication, always consult your doctor.
  • Stay hydrated - Your body’s ability to perspire and cool down depends on adequate hydration. Drink plenty of water while you’re exercising, even if you don’t feel thirsty. If you’re planning to exercise intensely or for longer than an hour, you may need to consider electrolyte replacement formulas. These drinks can replace the sodium, chloride and potassium you lose through sweating. Avoid drinks that contain caffeine or alcohol, which actually act as diuretics and promote fluid loss.
  • Dress appropriately - Lightweight, loose fitting clothing promotes sweat evaporation and cooling by letting more air pass over your body. Avoid dark colors, which can absorb the heat. Most of the latest sporting apparel is designed with this in mind, actually helping keep you cool. A light-colored hat can limit your exposure to the sun.
  • Avoid midday heat – Exercise in the morning or evening — when it’s likely to be cooler outdoors — rather than the middle of the day. If possible, exercise in the shade or in water.
  • Wear sunscreen – Besides carrying it’s own health risks, sunburned skin inhibits your body’s ability to cool itself.
  • Have a plan-B - If you’re concerned about the heat or humidity, stay indoors. Work out at the gym, walk laps inside your local shopping centre or climb stairs inside an air-conditioned building.

Know when you’ve had enough:

Signs and symptoms of heat-related illness may include:

  • Weakness
  • Headache
  • Dizziness
  • Muscle cramps
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Rapid heartbeat

If you suspect the heat is getting to you, stop exercising and get out of the heat. Drink water, and wet and fan your skin.

If you don’t feel better within 60 minutes or your symptoms are severe, seek urgent medical assistance.

While it’s important to stay active during the summer months, don’t let the heat put your health at risk.

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Protein powders – new study reveals the benefits of Whey …

November 16th, 2011

A new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition  has shown that whey protein stimulates new muscle growth more effectively than casein protein.

So what does this mean?

Well, you don’t have to have a desire to look like a rippling Adonis to consider adding a good quality Whey Protein Isolate powder to your daily diet. We lose approximately 3 per cent of our lean muscle tissue each decade after the age of 25 … that is, if we allow it to waste away through lack of stimulation (strength training) and poor dietary habits. Losing muscle means losing strength and vitality, not to mention the likelihood of excess fat deposition due to a lowered metabolic rate. Your muscle is your ‘engine’. Lose muscle and your metabolic rate will slow. Studies suggest that our ability to make muscle in response to food intake is also progressively impaired as we age. How well we create new muscle depends on the quantity—and to some extent the quality—of the protein we consume.

In the current study, the researchers wanted to see which protein was the best at helping to build new muscle, therefore helping to ward off the effect of lean muscle loss. The findings clearly suggest that all protein powders are not created equal. Beware of cheap imitations!

For more information on my recommendation for a protein powder formula, please click on the following link…. http://www.donnaaston.com/store/index.php?category=3

Reference: Pennings B, Boirie Y, Senden JM, Gijsen AP, Kuipers H, et al. Whey protein stimulates postprandial muscle protein accretion more effectively than do casein and casein hydrolysate in older men. Am J Clin Nutr 2011 May;93(5):997-1005.

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If you want to lose a kilo a day, read on …

October 26th, 2011

It’s the nature of our fast-paced lifestyle. We all want to lose weight and we’d like it to happen yesterday. This burning desire is what keeps weight loss books, products and pills thriving. Now I know you were all excited when you read the headline on this blog. You, like millions of others, are still looking for the magic carpet ride to a better body.

The good news is that you will get amazing results in a timely manner if you follow my program. The bad news is that while it’s possible to lose ‘weight’ quickly, it is not possible to lose ‘body fat’ quickly. Burning body fat requires a physiological process, which means you have to be in debt 7,700 calories to shed one kilogram of stored body fat. To put this into perspective, you burn around 300 calories in an hour of walking.

Marketing gurus are paid millions to research our vulnerabilities when it comes to weight loss and ruthlessly take aim at the sweet spot: fast and easy! They are telling you what you want to hear – it’s not your fault, it’s out of your control and their ‘product’ will fix it for you. Seriously, you’re smarter than this. You can’t fall for it – again!

There is a TRICK that weight loss companies and product manufacturers are NOT TELLING YOU!

Whether it’s a pill, a meal replacement shake, pre-packaged foods or a ‘special’ diet regime, all of them are basically another repackaged way of getting you to eat less food. Generally the calories will be deliberately set below your basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is your minimum requirement needed to sustain your current lean body mass (muscle). In this case, the following will occur (no exceptions!):

  1. Your body stores a source of fuel in your muscles and liver (glycogen).  On average, this weighs approximately 0.5 kilo. Each gram of glycogen holds 3 grams of water (1.5 kilos), so your initial ‘miraculous’ weight loss of 2 kilos in the first day or two is almost guaranteed. Those pitching this product/program to you are blatantly aware of this, as their bank balance begins to rise, you’re hooked – telling everyone in earshot about this amazing new miracle diet. And you haven’t yet lose a single gram of body fat, yet we’re conditioned to that deceptive number on the scales.
  2. If your calories remain lower than your BMR over the next week or so, your body will go into ‘survival mode’. It will assume there is not enough food available so it will adapt by reducing the very thing that is burning up all of those pesky calories for you – muscle. Muscle is your ‘engine’. The less muscle, the lower your BMR. Your body is trying to make your ‘engine’ smaller to preserve your life.
  3. Now here’s where it gets ugly. Dieting is like holding your breath. Sooner or later you will go back to eating ‘normally’. But of course now your body’s clever metabolic adaptations means you now have a much lower requirement for food, so you will store the excess as body fat. Now you have less muscle and more fat. Even if you don’t regain ALL of the ‘weight’ lost, you will likely be lighter, but fatter. And so the cycle continues. Sound familiar?

I’ve known people who have spent the last 10 years trying to lose fat fast – and they’re still not there! So take a deep breath, turn your back – once and for all – on the silly diet scams and take responsibility for your own body. There is no quick fix, but there is a fix. It doesn’t happen at lightning speed, but you can’t expect to undo a lifetime of bad habits in a week.

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