Ok, it’s nearly Christmas time and today marks 12 days before Christmas! Can you believe it?!

So, have you reached your weight goal for Christmas? Have you been able to resist the sweets and choccies about so far this month? I must say, I haven’t been very good recently and fallen into all sorts of tempations as well as not reaching my goal for Christmas….

You know what that means? I having a 12 day detox before Christmas! No sweets, no fatty foods, no skipping exercise and no excuses!

In the next 12 days I hope to catch up a little on my weight loss. I’m not expecting myself to lose a stone before Christmas day! That’s just silly! But I’m going to be drinking plenty of water and green tea, having low fat small portioned meals throughout the day and do at least 15 minutes of yoga and strength exercises a day and one 5-15 minutes cardio exercise a day. I’m going to be doing everything right for a change! :-p

So why this sudden urge? Because it’s a challenge and I feel bad about not losing the weight I wanted to before Christmas. But I know I want to enjoy myself on Christmas day without worry about what I’m eating so much. So to do that, I need to earn having those choccies on Christmas day! I want to look good on Christmas day too, and I know that when I feel good it shows through and even if I’m not the weight I want to be, I’ll feel good that I’ve changed a lot of bad habits this year!

How about joining me? Over the next 12 days, really work at the healthier eating and more exercise, you might be surprised at the results!

To kick start my 12 days before Christmas, I’ve been drinking water only today and had fruit as snacks and a nice health breakfast and lunch, low in portion size. I did some WiiFit yoga and strength exercises and lots of stretching. Tonight, I’m going to have nice healthy dinner and skip pudding….well, I might have another piece of fruit instead if still a bit hungry!

It’s only 12 days, not even two weeks! Let’s get ourselves happy and healthy for Christmas!

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Traditionally, obesity or being overweight has always been linked with eating fatty or junk food and having a sedentary / physically inactive lifestyle. However, only now, scientists have come up with, perhaps, the weirdest cause of one’s inability to shed those extra fatty pounds. A group of researchers from Aberdeen University has shown that bad weather, such as a lack of sun light, makes it harder for obese people to shed those heavy pounds.

Based on several surveys and studies, researchers have suggested that weather does play a big role in determining our eating and dietary habits, controlling the way our body metabolism works and fixing the duration we sleep and perform our daily life activities for.

The vital role of vitamin D

Interestingly enough, researchers have found a close link between being overweight and the quantity of vitamin D present in our blood.  It has been found that obese or overweight people tend to have lower levels of vitamin D in their blood than those who have normal body weight. The possible explanation if this is that vitamin D is made in our body when our skin is directly exposed to the sun light and in the winter months, we naturally tend to have less or minimum exposure to the sunlight.

Now, how the content of this vitamin D affects our body weight is even more interesting.  It has been found that the content of vitamin D in our blood affects the working of an “obesity related” hormone known as leptin. It is this hormone, leptin, that lets our mind (brain) know that our stomach is full and we should stop eating.

Scientists and nutritionists have estimated that those who are obese or have abnormally high weight produce a tenth less vitamin D than those of normal body weight.

You might ask then why obese people don’t always “actively lose weight” during the period of summer?

The answer to this logical question is even simpler.

If you are obese or over weight and are already being exposed to a sunny weather, the excess body fat on your massive body already absorbs vitamin D and stops it from getting into the blood. In other words, while your skin does “receive” sufficient sun light needed to make vitamin D, the thick layer of your body fat stops it from getting into the blood where it could be ultimately converted into the vitamin D.

Weight loss experts, therefore, highly recommend that overweight people in countries with less sunlight, e.g. Scotland or Norway, should go outside more often to get the much needed quantities of vitamin D. It should be remembered that more than a fifth of adults (both men & women) in Scotland are obese or have abnormally high weight.

Last but not least, the seasonal weather does affect our body weight in an indirect way as we are not getting enough sunlight or we do not go out much.  Alternatively, it could also be possible because our vitamin D is locked into fat stores before it could go into our blood streams. Therefore, while practicing other methods to lose weight such as dieting, exercising and taking a safe, natural herbal weight loss supplement, one should also remember that it is also important to have sufficient exposure to sunlight whenever and wherever possible.

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It’s hard to take complete control over what you eat. There’s temptation everywhere and sometimes it’s hard to make the healthier choices.
I’ve been making a huge effort this week to watch what I eat, especially as I can’t do much exercise at the moment because of illness. I’ve not bought any treats to have with my lunch, I’ve swapped a chocolate or high sugar pudding with home made smoothies and fruit, I’m drinking more water, low sugar squash and green tea. When going to the store, I only buy what is on the list and I make sure there’s no sweets and treats written on there!

I work most of the week, and because the weather is getting colder, I have decided to take a soup to work every day to keep warm! I have chosen a soup with plenty of vegetables in it and made sure it’s not a “cream of” soup too as they have more fat and calories. I also have a couple of pieces of fruit and a low sugar snack bar for when I get a bit peckish.

When I get home, I’ve ditched the rice and potatoes and heavier foods and replaced them with things like broccoli and sweetcorn along with fresh salad to have with things like salmon, chicken and lean mince.

Now I know this all sounds a bit boring. I thought I would be bored out my mind eating like this, but it’s actually become very convenient and tasty! The soups don’t have to be “cream of” to be enjoyable…in fact I much prefer the ones that aren’t because they have more flavour. Seasoning is a key thing too. You don’t have to drown food in dressings, tons of salt, sauces and butter. Often, choosing just the right flavours in their moderation is so much nicer!

If you’re like me, and like sauces like kormas and bolognese, it doesn’t mean you can’t have them. I love korma and so I searched in store for a lower fat sauce and there were actually quite a lot to choose from! I think the toughest thing is getting out of the routine of buying the same old stuff and so in consequence you may be buying the sweets and treats and high fat foods that seem to become a normal part of your shopping list. When I looked at my past shopping lists, I re-evaluated them to see what we actually need, and what we can replace and what we don’t need at all. By doing so, not only is our kitchen full of healthier options, but we saved a lot of money too!

The best thing though? I’m seeing great results! I’m slimming down more this week than I have in months and it’s so encouraging when I can’t exercise as much! It really shows how what you eat and how much you’re eating really makes a huge difference, whether you’re exercising or not!

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Are all carbs equal?

It’s a well-known fact that a diet rich in carbohydrates is proven way to satiate your appetite and makes you feel fuller. On the other hand, a diet low in carbohydrates can actually cause temporary weight loss. However, this temporary weight loss is not without some serious health risks. This presents a serious diet dilemma of what one should do while selecting a carb diet.

The solution to this dilemma is quite simple. All you need to know is “what to eat?” Yes, it’s all about making wise carbohydrate choices.

Salient features of carbohydrates

Let’s first review what carbohydrates are, where are they found and what do they do for our bodies.

Definition: Simply speaking, carbohydrates (or saccharides) are sugars and starches, which serve as a fuel for our body systems.

Functions: Carbohydrates are our body’s major fuel for each of the functions that it performs e.g. respiration, reproduction, mobility, circulation and nerve signal transmission (the function of CNS). They actually give our body the required energy for the skeleton, muscles and central nervous system (including brain and spinal cord). The performance and function of our brain, in particular, specifically depends on carbohydrates e.g. functions like learning, thought process, thinking etc., cannot be performed without a continuous supply of glucose from the blood.

Sources: The common sources of carbohydrates include fruits (carbs are found in the form of fructose), various vegetables, beans, several dairy products; food produced from grains, and also the sugar, honey and corn syrup.

Types: After digestion, our body converts carbohydrates into glucose, which is utilized by our cells as a fuel source. Depending on the same, there are two major types of carbohydrates:

i)         Simple carbohydrates: These carbs are broken down quickly and easily by the body into glucose.

ii)       Complex carbohydrates: These carbs are broken down slowly and take more time to enter the blood circulation.

The role of insulin: Insulin is a hormone that is secreted by pancreas, a digestive gland. The main role if insulin is that it controls the blood sugar (glucose) levels in our blood. Once all carbohydrates are broken down into glucose, insulin helps the glucose enter the muscles / tissues’ cells. The remaining glucose is stored as glycogen in the liver and muscles for future use (this is the same glucose that we use during our exercise / workouts). Any additional / remaining glucose is stored in the body as “fat”.

Are all carbohydrates equal?

With respect to their structure and food value, carbohydrates can be classified into three types:

• Simple carbohydrates: These carbs are made up of one or two sugar units that are broken down and absorbed quickly into the blood circulation.For the same reason, some modern studies have shown that some of the food belonging to simple carbohydrate group can actually cause acute increase in blood glucose levels which naturally results in more insulin release from pancreas, eventually resulting in enhanced appetite and more risk of fat storage.

Examples: Sugar, candies, honey, syrups, candy, honey, jams, jellies, molasses, juices and soft drinks all contain simple carbohydrates. While fruits primarily have simple carbohydrates, they are also enriched in valuable vitamins, minerals, fiber, and water. Similarly, dairy products e.g. milk contain simple carbohydrates along with proteins, calcium and other nutrients.

• Complex carbohydrates (starch): They consist of more than two sugar units. Brown rice and refined (white bread) form are some perfect examples of such carbs. They have a more complex structure and hence, take more time to be digested and absorbed into the blood. For the same reason, they cause only an average increase in insulin secretion which results in stabilization of appetite and only a few carbs are stored as a fat.

Examples: Unrefined or ‘whole grain’ carbohydrates commonly found in whole grain pasta, brown rice and bran cereals take more time to be digested. They also have plenty of vitamins, fibre and minerals which is essential for health and growth.

Legumes such as beans, peas, lentils and soy beans contain complex carbohydrates but also have plenty of fibre, vitamins, minerals, and protein.

Grain products usually have complex carbohydrates. However, they also contain fibre, vitamins, minerals, and protein.

Vegetables contain variable amounts of both simple and complex types of carbohydrates and several nutrients e.g. vitamins, minerals and are also a great source of fiber, and water.

• Indigestible carbohydrates (fibre). They cannot be broken down by the body into smaller units for absorption and hence are not an energy source for the cells. However, they are a good source of health especially with respect to their role in promoting better digestion of other foods. They also prevent us from constipation.

It is clear from the above discussion that not all carbohydrates are equal and each type has its own structure, function and role in the body. Therefore, making a wise carbohydrate food choice is essential and should be done in the light of your fitness goal i.e. weight loss, muscle building or just maintaining your fitness.

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A fact-based approach!

Protein is an important nutrient required for the building, maintenance, and repair of tissues in the body. Amino acids, the building blocks of protein, can be synthesized by the body or ingested from food. A variety of grains, legumes, and vegetables can provide all of the essential amino acids our bodies require. It was once thought that various plant foods had to be eaten together to get their full protein value, otherwise known as protein combining or protein complementing. Intentional combining is not necessary to obtain all of the essential amino acids. As long as the diet contains a variety of grains, legumes, and vegetables, protein needs are easily met.

Protein Requirements

With the traditional Western diet, the average person consumes about double the protein her or his body needs. Additionally, the main sources of protein consumed tend to be animal products which are also high in fat and saturated fat. Most individuals are surprised to learn that protein needs are actually much less than what they have been consuming. Protein needs are increased for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. In addition, needs are also higher for active persons. As these groups require additional calories, increased protein needs can easily be met through larger intake of food consumed daily.

The Problems with High-Protein Diets

High protein diets for weight loss, disease prevention, and enhanced athletic performance have been greatly publicized over recent years. However, these diets are supported by little scientific research. Studies show that the healthiest diet is one that is high-carbohydrate, low-fat, and moderate in protein. Increased intake of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables are recommended for weight control and preventing diseases such as cancer and heart disease. High-carbohydrate, low fat, moderate-protein diets are also recommended for optimal athletic performance. A diet high in protein can actually contribute to disease and other health problems.

Osteoporosis: Animal protein, are known to cause people to excrete more calcium than normal through their urine and increase the risk of osteoporosis. Plant-based diets provide adequate protein, and calcium (see reverse side) that can help protect against osteoporosis.

Cancer: Although fat is the dietary substance most often singled out for increasing one’s risk for cancer, animal protein also plays a role. Specifically, certain proteins present in meat, fish, and poultry, cooked at high temperatures, especially grilling and frying, have been found to produce compounds called heterocyclic amines. These substances have been linked to various cancers including those of the colon and breast. A diet rich in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables is important in decreasing cancer risk.4

Kidney Disease: When people eat too much protein, it releases nitrogen into the blood or is digested and metabolized. This places a strain on the kidneys which must expel the waste through the urine. Kidney problems may result in individuals who are susceptible to disease.

Cardiovascular Disease: Diets high in fat and saturated fat can increase one’s risk of heart disease. High-protein diets often encourage consumption of meat, eggs, and dairy products, which are all high in cholesterol, fat, and saturated fat. The most popular of the high-protein diets have been described as containing excessive amounts of these artery-clogging products. Adequate protein can be consumed through a variety of plant products which are cholesterol-free and contain only small amounts of fat.

Weight Loss Sabotage

Many individuals see almost immediate weight loss as a result of following a high protein diet. In fact, the weight loss is not a result of consuming more protein, but by simply consuming fewer calories. As with any temporary diet, weight gain is often seen when previous eating habits are resumed. To achieve permanent weight loss while promoting optimal health, the best strategy is a low-fat diet of grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables combined with regular physical activity.

All in all, high protein diets are unhealthy. However, adequate amounts of protein to maintain body tissues, including muscle, are still important and can be easily achieved on a vegetarian diet.

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