Being overweight will probably impact your life on many levels. An unbalanced diet and inadequate physical activity can lead to the development and progression of several diseases , including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, stroke, and arthritis.
Visceral (belly fat) is different to other fat in the body. This fat makes an inflammatory brew of bad chemicals that causes you to age faster, as well as secreting hormones like leptin and adiponectin, which regulate appetite and adjusts how you burn fat. The more fat you gave, the more hungry you feel and the harder it is to burn fat. Men generally have more visceral fat than women, until menopause and post menopause, when woman tend to have increased visceral fat.
Losing weight is not just a short term goal but a lifelong behavioural change, and includes healthy eating as well as increased physical activity, and is an investment in your future health and wellbeing.
Keeping a food and activity diary will help you to achieve your goals and feel accountable to yourself for your achievements or failures. What you measure – improves – you direct your intentions and attention toward measurement, and will consciously choose healthier options.
If there is 1 food group you should try to give up or drastically reduce, it is carbohydrates which includes sugars and starches (eg bread, pasta, rice) Sugar is highly addictive and therefore hard to stop eating, but once you have gone without it for a few days your cravings will decrease and it becomes easier to control. Taking supplements like Thiamine (B1) and Chromium can also help to reduce sugar cravings. Sugar plays a huge role in insulin resistance (the way your body deals with sugar) and cutting it out will leave you feeling clear headed and energetic – that in itself is a great incentive. Of course your body will now start mobilising fat to use as an energy source so you will lose weight as a result. Following a ketogenic diet taylor made to your needs and hormone levels is a great way to lose weight.
Intermittant fasting really helps speed the process along – listen to Dr Pradip Jamnadas podcasts. He is an excellent source of information regarding insulin response , fasting (and weight loss).
Increasing physical activity by alternating 2 minutes of brisk walking with 2 minutes of jogging for a total of 20 minutes daily will help to achieve your weight loss goals more easily, as well as having the added benefits of decreased likelihood of altzheimers, and a better quality of life in your later years. By adding in some weight bearing exercises you will have stronger bones and increased fat loss.
There are natural supplements that you can take to help you achieve your weight loss goals eg Slim line capsules which contains Garcinia Cambogia and other herbs to help with metabolism and appetite.
“When you make metabolic health your goal instead of weight loss, the fat will start to reduce, with the added bonus of improving healthspan and decreasing your risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke. It’s a win-win.” Sara Gottfried
