So what can we do to address these issues? Have a close and honest look at your own diet and exactly what it is that you are or are not eating. To get your metabolism working, you need to eat regularly. Don’t think that because you may be carrying extra fat, you need to eat less – in fact, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
It is ideal to eat smaller, more frequent meals, so your metabolism keeps working all day. Don’t leave breakfast too late after rising and then consider eating each two-and-a-half hours throughout the day. Breakfast, lunch and dinner should consist of a good portion of protein (about the size of your own cupped palm), a smaller carbohydrate and a big salad or lightly cooked vegetables (but not potato or other starchy vegies). You should have snacks (to keep your blood sugar levels up and your metabolism working) but ideally, these should consist of protein and perhaps a small carbohydrate, such as a piece of fruit. A handful of almonds, an egg or a portion of a delicious protein bar are good choices. Eating out for dinner is easy – choose a steak, fish or chicken with vegetables. An oil and vinegar dressing is a good choice.
Cut out the simple carbohydrates – lollies, sugar, white flour products, soft drinks etc.
It is vital you are able to identify the difference between protein, carbohydrates and fat, and it really is very easy! Think first: What is protein? Protein is anything that comes from an animal – so meat, fish, eggs and dairy products. It’s also nuts and seeds, and soy products. A fat is a fat, like fat on meat, butter, margarine and oil. Also avocado (which is beneficial). Basically, everything else is a carbohydrate. A carb is anything to do with sugar – so if there is any sweetness in your mouth, whether it be healthy or not (so fruit or a muesli bar), it’s a carb.
A lot of people tell me that their diet is very good, yet when I look at it, I can see that it is usually very high in carbohydrates, compared to the amount of protein they consume. For example, they may have cereal and/or toast for breakfast, fruit at morning tea, a sandwich followed by a muesli bar for lunch, a biscuit in the afternoon and meat and vegies for dinner. All in all, it seems healthy, however, if we analyse what the foods are providing the body with, we’d see there are far too many carbohydrates consumed in proportion to the amount of protein.
Amino acids are the building blocks from which proteins are made. Our body continuously breaks down the proteins eaten into amino acid complexes and free amino acids, which it then recombines to form whatever proteins it needs to maintain itself. Amino acids supply the raw materials for maintaining DNA, repairing damaged muscle tissue, for cell division, making enzymes, building new connective tissue and making hormones and neurotransmitters.
The ability to control our blood glucose level is dependant on muscle mass, because 80 percent of circulating glucose is typically stored in the muscle as glycogen. With low muscle mass, blood glucose clearance is delayed, resulting in blood sugar problems. It is protein that provides these building blocks.
I believe it is the balance of carbohydrate and protein in the diet that is the most vital thing, as both of these sources of fuel are essential to the body. By eating a balance of protein and carbohydrate, you give your body the energy it needs to get going, but also sustain you for around two-and-a-half hours. So long as you eat again before your blood sugar levels drop low, you will have consistent energy throughout the day and not feel too pumped up by the time you want to go to sleep at night.
We all need to drink more water – but ideally, not at a meal, as this dilutes your digestive enzymes, essential for the proper digestion of the food eaten. With obesity on the rise, we all need to increase our water intake, as water suppresses the appetite naturally and helps the body metabolise stored fat. Studies have shown that a decrease in water intake will cause fat deposits to increase, while an increase in water intake can actually reduce fat deposits.
Get a sipper bottle so you can accurately monitor how much you are drinking, and sip on this consistently throughout the day – ideally, no less than two litres a day.
Exercise is essential and the more you can do, the more fat you will burn. Any “movement” that produces resistance (rowing, swimming, weights etc.) will also help to increase muscle mass – so long as your protein intake is adequate. If you are not used to doing any exercise, you may want to seek the advice of a professional trainer. But remember – any exercise you do, you will benefit from – so start off realistically and work up from there. If you are really not into exercising, start going for a walk once a week and work up from here. Purchase some velcro wrist and ankle bands, which have little lead weights on them. Wear these while walking to produce resistance and hence, a muscle-building action.
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