Myths about Weight Loss and Nutrition

There are several myths that one has in mind regarding what to eat and what to avoid in order to lose weight. Here is a list a few of such myths along with what is the reality behind it-

Fad diets don’t help you keep off the weight in the long term. So what does work? The best diet is not a diet at all, but a way of life that includes food you enjoy, exercise, and healthy habits. When you go on a fad diet and exclude necessary nutrients, you’re putting yourself at risk for becoming ill. Getting too little of any nutrient may not cause an immediate problem. But if it’s lacking for a long time, you may find you have health problems.
Many people think carbohydrate-rich foods like pasta, bread, potatoes, cereal and rice are the bad guys when it comes to losing weight – and the popularity of low-carb diets several years ago has done little to dispel the myth. Added to this, it’s not uncommon to read that wheat, found in foods like bread and pasta, can cause bloating leaving many of us believing that cutting them out of our diet will help us lose weight. This has left many people feeling confused about whether or not they should include high carbohydrate foods in their weight loss diet. Most health experts agree there’s no proof that high carb foods are more likely to make us gain weight than any other food. Ultimately, it’s an excess of calories that makes us pile on the pounds – and it really doesn’t matter where those extra calories come from.
Health experts are beginning to explore the idea that people who eat all they want and don’t gain weight are actually more active than the rest of the population, and therefore burn more calories. However, these folks don’t necessarily spend more time at the gym. They probably engage in a practice known as non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT). When you stand up and pace while talking on the phone, chop cabbage for dinner or even twiddle your thumbs sitting at your desk, you are engaging in NEAT. So that friend who can pig out without consequence probably fidgets more than you do and stands on her feet while you’re sitting down. Engaging in NEAT throughout the day can increase your metabolism by up to 50 percent–so if you normally burn 2,000 calories per day while sedentary, NEAT can help you burn up to 3,000 calories per day.
Those who skip meals throughout the day make up for those lost calories by eating larger meals in a later sitting. The impact of this eating pattern on the body may be different from those who skip meals but do not make up for the lost calories later. In particular, skipping meals tends to cause cravings for foods high in fat and sugar. Essentially, when your body believes it’s starving, it will crave foods that pack more calories per volume to supply the energy you need to be alert and active. One study in “Metabolism” found that when people skipped meals throughout the day, but ultimately ended up consuming greater amounts of food at later meals, they were at a greater risk for some dangerous metabolic changes. These included weight gain, elevated fasting glucose, and a delayed insulin response – all three dangerous precursors to diabetes.

Nutritionists Secrets for Staying Slim

Whether consciously or not, many thin people follow the strategy of starting out with a sizable soup or salad, which leads them to eat less for the rest of the meal. Often people cannot stop eating even though they are full. Why is this? According to traditional Asian medicine, the body requires five tastes: sweet, salty, sour, bitter and pungent. These tastes nourish the internal organs and satisfy the taste buds. If any of the tastes are lacking in the diet, your body will be unsatisfied, causing cravings. By understanding how this principle affects you, you can begin to control your appetite.

If you’ve found that munching sugary snacks just makes you crave more sugary snacks, you’re not alone. Eating lots of simple carbohydrates — without the backup of proteins or fats — can quickly satisfy hunger and give your body a short-term energy boost, but they almost as quickly leave you famished again and craving more. The problem comes not when we indulge in a sweet treat now and then, but when we over-consume, something that’s easy to do when sugar is added to many processed foods, including breads, yogurt, juices, and sauces. Therefore one needs to consciously make an effort to keep the sugar cravings under control.

If you thought shutting down the kitchen early in the evening could save your waistline, you were right. After setting your “Kitchen Closing” time, determine the set dinnertime that works for you and your family most nights of the week. Sure, every now and again practice or late nights at the office will interfere. But by eating earlier in the evening, you’ll leave time for a brisk walk after dinner and certainly give yourself more time to digest before retiring for the night (and your heart and digestive system will thank you).

There’s no concern that water will dilute the digestive juices or interfere with digestion. In fact, drinking water during or after a meal actually aids digestion. Water and other liquids help break down food so that your body can absorb the nutrients. Water also softens stool, which helps prevent constipation.

Several studies have shown that people who keep food journals are more likely to be successful in losing weight and keeping it off. In fact, a researcher from one recent study says that people keeping a food diary six days a week lost about twice as much weight as those who kept food records one day a week or less. For one thing, keeping a food diary instantly increases your awareness of what, how much, and why you are eating. This helps you cut down on mindless munching. Food diaries also help people identify areas where they can make changes that will help them lose weight.

Most people eat more than double the amount of sodium their bodies need – which increases chances of high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease and other problems. Kids who eat high sodium diets are 40% more likely to develop high blood pressure, and this is even worse among children who are overweight. – See more at: http://sodiumbreakup.heart.org/reduce-sodium-empowering-taste/#sthash.LPJV8CI0.dpufOur taste buds can adapt to eating less salt. Research suggests that when people eat lower-sodium foods over time, their taste preferences change so they prefer those foods and they find that the foods they used to enjoy are too salty. When salt is cut gradually, sometimes people don’t even notice! And when less salt is used, you can appreciate the true flavor of food. For example, try roasting a sweet potato or butternut squash and enjoy the flavor that develops as it cooks and caramelizes.

Can CLA Supplements help in Losing Weight?

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is an omega-6 polyunsaturated essential fatty acid (EFA) which is formed from linoleic acid in bacterium via a specific isomerase (a type of enzyme). This EFA is a mixture of positional and geometric isomers of linoleic acid. It is naturally occurring in meat and dairy products. In addition to reducing fat in the body, CLA has also been studied for its anticarcinogenic (anti-cancer) properties. Right now, CLA is of very high interest to scientists and nutritionists.

CLA has been quickly growing in popularity in the fitness world. Since its popularity is still relatively new, many people still have never heard of CLA. It is sold at almost all nutrition stores, and it is highly advertised on the Internet. Many competitive weightlifters and fitness performers have started taking this product and speak positively of its effects. CLA usually comes in 1000 milligram softgels, and is supposed to be taken with meals three to five times daily. I have taken CLA many times before, and currently, in preparation for bodybuilding. The effects were definitely felt even though I had to take it for about thirty to forty-five days until I actually started seeing a change.

Several studies, have shown significant reductions in fat mass with CLA supplementation. One study looked at over 125 people for 2 years and found that 3.4 grams/day of CLA “reduces [body fat] in overweight humans and may help maintain initial reductions in [body fat] and weight in the long term.” Another study published in the journal Lipids concluded the 4.2 grams/day of CLA “may reduce the proportion of body fat in humans” without affecting body weight. You can interpret that conclusion to mean that lean mass must have increased, if body composition improved without weight loss. Another study showed similar results (decreased fat without a change it weight) with a much smaller dose of only 1.8 mg/day.

In the last decade, many studies have looked at the role CLA may play in aiding weight loss. So far, studies on animals have revealed that CLA does reduce body fat. But to date, studies on humans have been inconsistent. Nevertheless, CLA is available in supplement form and is often an ingredient in over-the-counter slimming pills. It’s particularly interesting that this study looked at weight gain during holiday periods. Research shows that small amounts of weight gained on holiday often stay with us and are never lost. Over time, these extra few pounds gained every holiday add up to a considerable amount of excess weight. Furthermore, overweight and obese adults seem to be particularly susceptible to gaining weight during holidays. One should keep in mind that before taking any supplements it is advisable to consult a doctor.

CLA appears to help some–but not others, and its greatest value may be as a natural component of a healthy diet. One should keep in mind that there are many ingredients, components, and foods that can help you lose weight. More and more, individual nutrition, and healthy shifts in eating patterns are forming the basis of losing weight, or maintaining a healthy weight that is good for you.

Losing Weight With CLA

A growing number of American dieters who take nutritional supplements containing the fatty acid CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) believe this latest weight-loss trend has real substance. They have found that, when used in conjunction with a regimented plan of diet and exercise, CLA not only reduces body fat but also increases muscle strength and exercise endurance. Now science has stepped in to explore CLA’s too-good-to-be-true health claims — and CLA has stood up to the skeptics. CLA is related to the omega-6 fatty acids, one of the two types of essential fatty acids that help the body increase metabolic rates, boost the immune system and keep cholesterol levels in check. CLA is found in dairy and animal fats, such as beef, lamb, whole milk, and eggs, but cannot be produced by the human body.

Most of the studies conclude that a person needs to take 3.4 grams of CLA (3,400 mg) daily to receive its benefits. (The amounts used in many of the studies were two to three times higher, but the treatment period was only 12 weeks.) In order for your body to get maximum use from its properties, it is ideal to take CLA before or during your meals.

CLA is thought to be a natural dietary supplement that induces a combination of fat loss and muscle gain. The benefits of conjugated linoleic acid are believed to include:

Decrease in fat
Increase in muscle growth
Increase in metabolic rate
Protects against fat gain following weight loss, thus maintaining initial reductions in body fat and weight, in the long-term.
May lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels

Negative effects of CLA are thought to include the triggering of insulin resistance (leading to high blood sugar), thus increasing risk of developing diabetes and an increased risk of developing cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases. Thus, one should be cautious when using conjugated linoleic acid supplements. Pregnant or lactating women should probably refrain from taking CLA completely.

Some people report feeling nauseous after taking their conjugated linoleic acid and more rarely gastrointestinal upset or loose stools. These side effects are typically reduced when the product is taken with protein (e.g. milk), and tend lessen roughly 2 weeks after commencing CLA supplementation.

If you intend to supplement with conjugated linoleic acid to help with weight loss, remember that that it is not a magic pill. You will need to incorporate it into a weight loss program that includes a healthy nutritious reduced calorie diet and regular vigorous exercise, in order to successfully lose weight and keep it off.

And the benefits of CLA don’t stop at weight loss. Over the past two decades, researchers have found that CLA also modulates the immune response, protects against heart disease, and inhibits the growth of various cancers. It may also prevent and control adult onset diabetes—a disease running rampant in our overweight country. And, because it helps prevent bone loss, CLA may also be a potent agent for preventing osteoporosis and osteoarthritis.

It’s important to keep in mind, though, that CLA is not a magic drug. It will not make up for poor eating habits or lack of exercise.

Breastfeeding and Herbal Supplements

Breastfeeding and Herbal Weight Loss Supplements

Using weight loss supplements while breastfeeding is not only unnecessary, but they also can have a negative impact on your baby’s health. It is much healthier for both you and your baby if you lose weight gradually and naturally. Evidence positively backing the use of weight loss supplements is mainly anecdotal, largely unsupported by the scientific community. While you’re breastfeeding is not the time to test their efficacy; you do not want to compromise your health or your baby’s.

A handful of common active ingredients are used in weight loss supplements, including: ephedra, chromium picolinate, and guar gum. While it can contribute to weight loss, ephedra has been associated with increased psychiatric distress, cardiac and digestive problems, hypertension, stroke and even death. Chromium picolinate has not been found to create meaningful weight loss, and it has been associated with rhabdomyolysis — the breakdown of muscle tissue — and kidney impairment. Guar gum has been found to be ineffective for weight loss, and it can cause gastrointestinal upset, reduced efficacy of oral contraceptives and interference with insulin medications. Caffeine is another common ingredient in “fat burners,” but caffeine in breast milk can affect infants for up to 120 hours.

One of the best ways to jump start your weight loss after giving birth is to breastfeed your baby exclusively, without using supplemental formula. Breastfeeding requires extra calories. If you maintain your normal diet — making sure it includes all the nutrients your baby needs to grow — you will have a small calorie deficit that will add up to weight loss in the postpartum period.

Don’t try fad diets or cut calories too severely or your own nutrition as well as your baby’s could suffer, especially when you’re trying to establish your milk supply. Making milk requires around 500 extra calories per day. If you don’t add those extra calories to your normal dietary intake, you will lose an extra 1 pound per week in addition to normal postpartum weight loss. Most nursing moms who eat according to their appetite, meaning they’re not restricting calorie intake, lose 1.3 to 1.6 pounds per month.

Some ingredients in over-the-counter diet products may not be safe. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns people not to use some of them. DO NOT use products that contain these ingredients:

Ephedrine is the main active ingredient of herbal ephedra, also known as ma huang. The FDA does not allow the sale of medicines that contain ephedrine or ephedra. Ephedra can cause serious side effects, including strokes and heart attacks.
BMPEA is a stimulant related to amphetamines. This chemical can lead to health problems such as dangerous high blood pressure, heart rhythm problems, memory loss, and mood problems. Supplements with the herb Acacia rigidula labeled on the packaging often contain BMPEA, even though this chemical has never been found in that herb.
DMBA and DMMA are stimulants that are chemically very similar to one another. They have been found in fat-burning and workout supplements. DMBA is also known as AMP citrate. Both chemicals can cause nervous system and heart problems.
Brazilian diet pills are also known as Emagrece Sim and Herbathin dietary supplements. The FDA has warned consumers not to buy these products. They contain stimulant drugs and drugs used to treat depression. These can cause severe mood swings.
Tiratricol is also known as triiodothyroacetic acid or TRIAC. These products contain a thyroid hormone, and they may increase the risk for thyroid disorders, heart attacks, and strokes.
Fiber supplements that contain guar gum have caused blockages in the intestines and esophagus, the tube that carries food from your mouth to your stomach and intestines.
Chitosan is a dietary fiber from shellfish. Some products that contain chitosan are Natrol, Chroma Slim, and Enforma. People who are allergic to shellfish should not take these supplements.