Category Archives: weight

New Weight Loss Injection

by health, weight
mouse on a wheel | photo: riekhavoc

Word is buzzing about a new hormone that has just been discovered.  Called irisin it's believed to effectively help shift adipose (fatty tissue) from white fat to brown fat.  Brown fat is desirable because it essentially burns fat.  Babies have a lot of it but it decreases as they grow.  In adults it tends to be concentrated in the upper areas of the chest and neck.

I'm not writing to you about this discovery so that you'll all want to run out and get some.  I'm writing because I want to warn you.  This is being touted as a possible new weight loss discovery.  From the article I read studies showed that with exercise and irisin there were changes to the body including subcutaneous fat becoming browner, better insulin metabolism, and an increase in energy expenditure (read fat loss).  The results were better in mice than in people but apparently the people results were encouraging enough that, although no one is ready to market anything, there was mention of the possibility of some day creating an injectable version.  Chances are, over time, we're going to start hearing a lot more about this.

Folks there is no magic pill, potion, or injection that will cause you to lose weight without having to make changes.  The biggest and most positive health changes (which are not always weight loss I might add) come about from changing the diet and changing your level of exercise.  Even small changes can have a big result.  Some pills and potions have had devastating effect on it's users (remember fen-phen?) while others have simply done nothing.

My suggestion is that you not rely on some apparently magical ingredient to lose weight.  It's not easy and it takes time but truly the answer is to eat less, eat the right things, and move more.  If you need support that's fabulous, work with a Health Coach, a Nutrition Professional, a Fitness Coach, a Wellness Coach, if you can do it on your own that's great too.  Because the simple truth is that the answer doesn't lie in a pill or an injection.  You cannot continue to eat Krispy Kreme donuts and lie on the sofa watching Law and Order Marathon session and expect to be in good shape or to lose weight.  So now you know the word (irisin), you can ignore it and bypass what I expect to be growing hype.  Focus your energy on you, your health, your journey, in a safe and healthy way.

Saving Calories

by habits, health, substitutions, weight

The New Year has come and gone.  The festivities are over, the days are getting longer and we're one week into what for many people is the annual self torture of resolutions.  As I've mentioned before I really don't like the word resolution.  It seems hard and finite and often is a rather amorphous concept.  “I resolve to lose 10 pounds”  “I resolve to go to the gym more often”  and other statements.  There's no strategy of how it's going to happen, no defined timeline and if you don't succeed you feel like you've failed.

It may seems like splitting hairs but I prefer the term goal.  The goal outlines what you hope to achieve.  And if you don't quite get there that doesn't mean you have to give up in dejected defeat.

Because so many people struggle with their weight at this time of year that tends to be one of the more common health goals I hear.  I'd like to start by sharing that weight loss is more than just eating less.  It's about changing habits, moving more, changing mindsets and, yes, eating less.  But there are ingrained habit that need to change.

Spend some time focusing on mindful eating (chew, be grateful for your food, enjoy your food, take time with your meal, and chew [yes I repeated that one, it's important and many of use don't chew enough]).   Mindful eating helps us to better digest our food in so many ways from making sure that we are breaking down the food, getting adequate salivary enzymes, and also having our body in a calm focused place to be able to digest.  Liz Lipski, the Digestive Wellness guru, tells us that we often fuel our bodies the way we fuel our cars….stop, gas, go.  She's right.  The next time you sit down to a meal stop a moment and recognize how you are eating.  Most of you will discover that you are rushing through your meal and if you take a few extra moments you will feel better and calmer.

Move more.  If you have a car and it just sits in the driveway and never goes anywhere when you eventually need it the tires are cracked and dry, the engine fluids are gummy and don't lubricate well and the car may not function the way it is supposed to.  That car is a metaphor for our bodies.  Use them and they stay active and functioning.  This is nothing you don't already know but sometimes we just need a reminder.  Park a little further away at the grocery store.  Take the stairs instead of the elevator.  Sign up for a physical movement class or find a free one on DVD or the internet.  You'll feel better and your body will be burning calories which can help with weight management.

vegetable broth | photo: Takeaway

I also like give you a few ways to make small measurable food changes that can add up, helping you to shed pounds:

  1. Consider changing your plate size.  We often cue in to the size of the plate to help us determine how much food to put on it.  If you use a smaller plate you often take less food but find yourself just as satisfied.  
  2. Consider changing your plate altogether.  Slimware is a company that sells some really attractive plates that have designs on them that are portion controlled.  This visual cue can help you learn how to choose portion sizes over serving sizes.
  3. Choose salsa instead of queso.  That cheesy dip or melted cheese topping adds up to a lot of calories and a lot of fat.  Substituting salsa for some, or all, of the cheese not only saves calories it adds delicious flavor.  A baked potato with black beans and salsa is one of my favorites and really needs no cheese or sour cream.
  4. Looking for something crunchy?  Forego the corn chips and snack mix.  Try air popped popcorn instead.  With a tiny bit of melted butter or coconut oil, a hint of salt and some spices you've got a great crunchy snack that doesn't have nearly the same caloric count.  Be sure to choose organic popcorn to avoid any potential GM contamination.
  5. Add a cup of soup to your dinnertime routine.  A delicious strong stock with veggies and herbs or even a tomato based veggie soup is a great way to get your digestion going but also to help fill your tummy.   Barbara Rolls, a Ph.D. at Penn State shares that  “Eating a 100-calorie bowl of broth-based soup…at the start of a meal takes the edge off your hunger. Even with the extra course … you are likely to eat fewer total calories during the meal.”
  6. Remember the Three Polite Bite Rule.  If you are going to have dessert have just three polite bites.  You'll get enough to satisfy that sweet tooth without overdoing the sugar intake.
Step-by-step small meaningful changes can add up to a healthier you.
Interested in making more changes?  Anyone who leaves a comment and their email address on the blog will receive a free copy of my “Eating Out – Eating Healthy” ebook.

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