Heathermountneynutrition.co.uk 3rd Sept 2012 BBC Radio Nottingham
BBC Radio Nottingham Eat more and Weigh Less.
Most people believe that to lose weight we must eat a lot less. This is only partly true,
because it is true that if you consume less fuel than you use, you are much more likely to
lose weight, but it is also true that by choosing the right kinds of food you can accelerate
the weight loss potential and you certainly do not have to go hungry.
1. Protein increases your fat burning potential, especially, lamb and beef. They have what
is called a thermogenic affect, which means that it creates internal heat that helps to
increase metabolism and thus increase energy consumption.
So a high protein diet is a much more efficient way of utilising energy as it will be utilised
and is not laid down as fat.
2. Good protein sources such as meat and poultry also contain something called CLA
(conjugated linoleic acid) which helps to decrease body fat.
3. Legumes, which means beans and peas help to keep us satisfied for longer, because
they are classified as complex carbohydrates that take longer to be converted into glucose
and thus stay in our digestive system for longer, keeping us satisfied and as they do not
raise blood sugar levels too high they are less likely to be stored as fat.
4. Eating good quality carbohydrates, such as fruit and vegetables help to produce
something called leptin, which is a peptide hormone that inhibits appetite and reduces fat
storage.
5. Turkey, eggs and onions contain a a substance that feeds our brain with
neurotransmitters that help us to feel happy. They also help us to feel satisfied and less
likely to over eat. Research shows that anxiety and mood swings can lead to over eating
and tryptophan found in these foods help us to overcome these feelings.
6. Pre and probiotics found in artichokes, asparagus and natural yogurt help to maintain
the integrity of the gut lining and thereby control how much food is absorbed. This in turn,
helps to control weight. Research has shown that obese people have an imbalance in
probiotics in their gut and so can absorb more food than those with an abundance of good
bacteria in the form of probiotics.
7. Chillies and peppers are in fact super super food. Not only do they help to control
chronic inflammation, that is the pre cursor to diseases such as heart disease, diabetes
and cancer, but they also increase thermogenesis, helping to increase metabolism.
8. Essential fats in the form of oily fish, nuts and seeds are an important addition to any
weight management programme, because without them cells become inflexible and less
able to function properly and ultimately this can effect metabolic rate.
The key to sustained weight loss is to eat a balanced diet containing
good quality protein, carbohydrates and essential fats and avoid refined
sugar based foods and of course exercise regularly.