Weight Loss and the Calorie-Counting Myth

Worldwide, the number of overweight people is estimated at 1.2 billion. In Canada, more than half of the adult population is overweight, including 12 percent who are considered obese (excessively fat).

Obesity is more than a cosmetic problem. Obese people are at a higher risk for degenerative conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, and cancer. Obesity statistics hold interesting clues. While large population groups in Third World countries are malnourished due to lack of food, an equally large number of people in developed nations are malnourished because of excessive food consumption.

Is that not a contradiction in terms? Choice of foods is the key. It is also the reason why the estimated 30 percent of North American adults who are on a weight-loss program at any given time are often unsuccessful in keeping excess pounds off beyond the duration of their particular diet.

If we restrict food intake for a time and then resume our old habits of eating processed and refined foods devoid of nutrients, we effectively starve an already malnourished body. Counting calories might further our math skills, but will get us nowhere nutritionally. What we need to look at are the types of foods that are eaten and how they are digested, assimilated, and metabolized. If any components of good nutrition are compromised, metabolic function will be impaired and weight and toxins will accumulate.

Detoxification and Fasting

Detoxification must be the first step in any weight-loss program. Our strongest ally in the effort to detoxify is water. Drink at least eight to 10 glasses of filtered, distilled or spring water each day. Water can also help to curb the appetite. In fact, a hungry feeling may be the body’s first call for water, often misinterpreted for food hunger. Whenever hungry, try drinking a large glass of water first. You may find that you no longer desire food. Even if the hunger returns, you’ll be inclined to eat less at the meal that follows. Adding a few drops of fresh lemon juice boosts water’s cleansing potential.

Fasting is one of the oldest and most effective detoxification methods. Most people in generally good health can benefit from going without solid food for one to several days. Fresh fruit or vegetable juice fasts are easier on the body than strict water fasts. Fresh juices provide high concentrations of vitamins, minerals and enzymes which cleanse and nourish the body, while giving the digestive system a break from processing solids.

Fruits with a high water content, such as grapes and citrus varieties, are particularly effective for detoxification and weight reduction. Pineapple juice is high in the enzyme bromelain, which aids digestion and has been shown to promote weight loss.

Metabolism and Weight Loss

Achieving and maintaining one’s ideal body weight is essentially a function of metabolism–of how foods are burned and utilized in the body. Once toxins are eliminated and digestion is improved, we can keep our metabolism well-tuned with a natural whole-foods diet and a healthy lifestyle. Here are some important suggestions:

Avoid excessively starchy foods, especially processed carbohydrates and white-flour products. These are the "empty calories" that cause weight gain in the first place. Build your meals around fresh vegetables and fruits, which supply vitamins, minerals, fibre, enzymes and a host of phytochemicals and nutraceuticals that aid in balancing the metabolism.

Eat more raw foods, which not only provide superior nutrition, but also the enzymes necessary for their own digestion. The cooking process destroys these naturally-occurring enzymes, forcing the pancreas to produce more internal digestive enzymes. Aim to have at least one completely raw meal each day, or eat a raw salad with a cooked meal twice a day.

Eat two or three servings of high-quality protein each day. Protein is required for proper metabolic function and endocrine balance. Free-range eggs, fowl, fish and dairy products (ideally fermented, such as yogurt or kefir) provide excellent protein. Vegetarian sources are combinations of legumes, grains, seeds and nuts.

Add some green tea to your diet. A recent study at the University of Geneva in Switzerland showed that certain compounds in organic green tea may promote weight loss by increasing thermogenesis (the burning of body fat).

As a master gland in the endocrine system, the thyroid determines a number of biochemical reactions, including protein synthesis and the rate at which the body burns fat. To function optimally, the thyroid needs a continuous supply of iodine, an essential mineral and vital constituent of the hormones produced by the thyroid. Seafoods, including sea vegetables such as kelp, dulse, kombu, nori and arame are particularly rich in iodine and should form a regular part of the diet. Kelp and dulse are also available in tablet form. Asparagus, watercress, Swiss chard and turnip greens also contain iodine. Other nutrients important for thyroid function include zinc, copper, selenium, and the B-vitamins, notably B6.

Know Your Fat Facts

The popular assumption that all fats are bad and that any fat eaten will automatically pile up in unsightly deposits of body fat is a myth based on misinformation. Some dietary fat is necessary for optimal metabolic function! The type of fat is important, however. Avoid processed, refined vegetable oils (this includes most supermarket brands), hydrogenated fats like margarine and vegetable shortenings. Use unrefined, cold-pressed vegetable oils like flax seed, walnut and sunflower instead, but never cook or bake with them, as heat causes them to break down and become toxic. For cooking and baking, use only fats which remain stable at high temperatures, such as butter, extra-virgin olive oil, macadamia nut oil, coconut oil or palm oil.

Supplementing the diet with flax seed and evening primrose oil provides important essential fatty acids, which encourage weight loss by supporting endocrine function.

Although it is possible to lose weight without exercise, a trim, firm body can only be achieved through physical activity.

So go out and walk, run, swim, clean out the garage or push the vacuum.

Anything that gets the body moving will speed up the metabolism and help to you to stay slim and healthy!