Article of the Month
A Common Sense Approach to Favourable
Weight Management
by Jamie Tremblay RHN
We are constantly being bombarded with various fad-diets, calorie restricted unbalanced diets, diet pills, surgeries, etc., that all promise the same thing - rapid weight loss. All the mass marketing and celebrity endorsements can be overwhelming and difficult to make sense of. The truth is, rapid weight loss typically results in our bodies shedding lean muscle mass which in turn slows our metabolic rate. This will not help you keep the weight off.
Weight management involves adopting a lifestyle that includes a healthy eating plan and regular physical activity. The key to managing weight throughout life is a positive attitude and the right kind of motivation. Internal motivators such as health, increased energy, self-esteem, and personal control increase your chances for lifelong weight management success. Make your overall health and the prevention of disease, not physical appearance, your weight management priority. Focus on a healthy eating style, not on "dieting." Dieting usually lasts for only the short term and rarely produces long-term success.
What is Metabolism?
Metabolism is the process whereby the body converts food into energy (or uses it for bodily repairs). The faster our metabolism, the more calories we burn. Boosting your metabolism is a key component to weight loss and weight management.
What Determines Our Metabolic Rate?
Some people have a naturally faster metabolism
As we age, our calorie needs decrease. On average it drops 2% each decade.
Muscle cells are about 8 times more metabolically demanding than fat cells. The greater our proportion of lean muscle to fat, the faster our metabolic rate.
Exercise burns calories. Even after we stop exercising, the effect continues. So we burn calories at a faster rate for several hours afterwards.
Our metabolic rate increases during digestion of food, a process known as the Thermal Effect of food. In simple terms, if we go too long without food (5 hours for men; 3 hours for women), our body thinks there is a food shortage and our metabolism tends to slow down.
Metabolism is controlled by thousands of separate chemical reactions. In order to perform efficiently, our body needs a constant supply of nutrients. Without these nutrients, your metabolism can become inefficient and sluggish. The best way to ensure good dietary nutrition is to follow a balanced diet. It is recommended that you have your thyroid checked, to be sure it is functioning well, this gland is directly involved with metabolism.
How to Raise Metabolism
This should be aerobic exercise and strength training. Remember, the more lean muscle mass you have, the faster your metabolism becomes and the more calories you will burn.
To benefit from the thermal effect of food and ensure that your body burns calories willingly, eat breakfast and then eat regularly throughout the day. Research shows that you’re 4 � times more likely to be obese if you skip breakfast, and 45% less likely to gain weight if you eat frequently throughout the day.
This helps to maintain a good supply of nutrients which in turn keeps your metabolism working smoothly.
Tips for safe and successful weight management:
Never skip meals, especially breakfast. A breakfast consisting of whole grains, protein and healthy fats helps to kick-start your metabolism (your fat burning engine) and provides your body and your brain with energy to start your day.
Eat frequently throughout the day. Eat 5-6 small meals a day (or 3 mid-size meals and small snacks in between) to keep your energy levels and your metabolism regulated. Eating smaller meals more frequently will also help regulate blood sugar levels, which will prevent fatigue, hunger pangs and those mid-afternoon craving for sweets.
Try to incorporate a strength training routine at least 3 days a week. Increasing lean muscle mass will help increase your metabolism and burn fat (even while you are resting!). Thirty minutes of aerobic exercises in the evening, before dinner, will not only burn off stored fat but it increases your metabolism for about two to three more hours.
Bulk up on fibre. A diet high in fibre will help keep blood sugar levels regulated, craving at bay, and help keep you feeling fuller longer. Fibre is also very important for the elimination of wastes from the body. Try to get at least 25-30 grams a day.
PGX™ (PolyGlycopleX) is a unique blend of highly purified soluble fibers processed using advanced proprietary technology. Significantly less PGX™ is required to obtain the important health benefits of fibre, including glucose balance, appetite control and reduced food craving.
Suggested Serving:
2 to 4 PGX capsules, before meals with at least 8 _ 16 fl oz of water can provide a sense of fullness while providing valuable dietary fibre. SlimStyles� Appetite Control Fibre Blend with PGX SlimStyles™ Appetite Control Fibre Blend with PGX is not a meal replacement drink. It is an almost zero calorie, naturally flavored and sweetened drink mix that provides all the benefits of PGX when additional nutrients and calories are not desired. Contains 5 grams of PGX per serving.
Keep SlimStyles™ Appetite Control Fiber Blend on hand to help curb your appetite. Take one serving, just before any regular meal, as directed on the package, and follow it by drinking 350 to 400ml of water. Drink up! Drinking at least 2-3 litres of water a day is important for your health and to help lose weight. Water is necessary for the metabolism of stored fat. Weight loss cannot occur without an active metabolism which requires large quantities of water.
Hoodia is a traditional African cactus-like succulent plant. For thousands of years, African tribesmen have eaten the succulent stems of Hoodia plants to stave off hunger and thirst on long hunting trips. Hoodia works in a similar way as sugar to stem hunger and make a person feel full - but without the calories. Hoodia plant extracts suppress appetite naturally, are organically grown in the Kalahari Desert, contain no synthetic or artificial appetite control agents, and have no known side effects. Hoodia is also rich in minerals and trace elements making it an excellent tonic herb as well.
Suggested Serving:
These capsules can be taken 30 minutes before eating 3 times daily or substituted for HoodiaTrim capsules prior to the evening meal.
HoodiaTrim capsules are intended to be taken 15 to 30 minutes prior to eating breakfast and/or lunch and/or dinner (2 capsules 2_3 times per day), and may be incorporated with any diet plan. Over the next few hours (before/during/between meals), each of the extracts will contribute its specific effects in support of slimming, commencing with a decreased overall interest in eating or drinking including between meal snacking (hoodia), increased metabolic rate and fat burning (yerba mat™), a general feeling of calmness and well_being similar to satiation (damiana, chamomile and cocoa), a reduction in the conversion of carbohydrates to fat and lower blood glucose (green coffee beans), and increased energy expenditure (green tea extract).
 Jamie-Lynn Tremblay, RHN
Jamie-Lynn is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist, certified personal trainer and a Certified Chair Massage Practitioner. A recent graduate of the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition, Jamie-Lynn is counselling as many individuals as she can in workplaces, schools, and her community, assisting them in taking charge of their dietary habits. Having been involved in sports for as long as she can remember, her special interests are in sports nutrition and weight loss/management for both adults and children. Her current goal is to facilitate nutrition and activity programs for children in various community centres. She strongly believes in teaching children the importance of leading healthy and active lifestyles.
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