Article written by Helga Marin for Connector magazine in Dubai Mar 2009
Question: Hi, I’m 45 years old and I have been dieting since I can remember. I’ve always struggled with weight loss, I don’t find it difficult to stick to a healthy diet but the weight just doesn’t seem to pile off. I’ve recently been diagnosed borderline diabetics and my doctor has told me that I need to lose the excess weight. I’ve seen nutritionists but nobody seems to be able to help. Do you have advice for me?
Answer: There are many reasons why people don’t seem to lose weight even though they give it their full effort. Sometimes it is hormonal; sometimes it is under active thyroid and commonly it is a syndrome called Polycystic Ovaries that makes it more difficult for people to lose weight. But more often, it is how you manipulate your diet. Remember that your body always tries to adjust to whatever diet you are on so eventually you will stagnate if you keep eating the same kind of food in the same amount. Below I have written few tips how you can speed up your BMR (how many kcal your body burns at rest) and maintain a healthy weight loss.
- Eat 5-6 meals a day or every 2-3 hours. If you fill your fridge with healthy food you are more likely to eat healthy and regularly. To eat healthy and frequently requires planning ahead. Set an alarm to remind you to eat on time. Remember the 2-3 hours rule as when you eat too frequently (constantly nibbling) your body doesn’t manage to burn the food you eat in the time between meals and you start storing the extra kcal. When you eat too seldom you slow down your metabolic rate. By teaching your body to eat at certain times your body will respond by burning more, you will feel hungry at the right times, and your digestion will improve.
2. Don’t eat anything between meals, tea and coffee in moderation is ok.
3. Shift your kcal intake from evening to daytime as you are both more active during the day and your BMR is higher. Remember that everything you eat just before going to bed will stored and easily converted to fat.
4. Eat your dinner early and keep the portion small. Try not to eat after 7-8pm. The later you eat the smaller and lighter you should eat. Eating late at night is one of the biggest reasons for why people put on weight simply because everything you eat before going to bed is stored. When you get into the habit of eating more during the day you won’t have the same appetite at night and you won’t feel deprived.
5. Eat carbohydrates low in GI. The term Glycaemic index describes the effect of food (especially carbohydrates) on blood glucose: how quickly glucose is absorbed after a person eats, how long blood glucose rises and how quickly it returns to normal. If the time is short it means that the food has a high GI value and if the time is long the food has a low GI value. Food high in Gi increases the release of insulin into the blood and besides having several health risk consequences, it inhibits fat burning and causes weight gain.
Helga Marin
Health Mind and Body