2022
Nutrition
In the last 50 years or so, weight loss diets have been an ongoing craze. From Atkins to Paleo, to eat right for your blood type to the soup diet and many more! Often, a celebrity would have endorsed this, with a Doctor’s seal of approval. Nothing talks about Nutrition though.
It may not come as a total surprise to hear that none of these wonder diets work. Even Ketosis, which has been endorsed by some medical experts, is a highly dangerous method to lose weight. ( I will elaborate on that later ) .
Of course the main reason for all of this is the quick fix. We all want it now , whatever it is .. especially the flat tummy . Hey , just look at the infomercials that promises a 6 pack with 6 easy payments and a set of steak knives with the latest piece of equipment!!
Back on to diets though . Every diet says that you have to eliminate certain types of food , for example, carbohydrates. Some say that you can’t have carbs after a certain time of the day ( eg 4 pm ) or it will turn into fat !! Absolutely ridiculous! What happens if you live on the border of NSW and Queensland where for half the year there is an hour’s time difference? Does half your body get fat , the other half stay thin , but then an hour later that half of your body gets fat again ?? Of course I’m having a laugh, but only because the idea of this diet is laughable!!
It might be easier to understand what the main nutrients actually do .
Carbohydrates – these provide the body and brain with the best form of energy. Without carbs the cells in your body die , so eventually the individual in question will die without carbs . Carbs create energy to do basics like moving , thinking, talking and yes ..exercise. They come in the form of fruit , Veg , bread , pasta , rice , cake and lollies . Obviously there are some carbs that are better for us than others . I will expand on this in a later article.
Protein . Most people think that protein builds muscle. Not correct. The main function of protein is to repair tissue , for example, hair , nails , skin and muscle. Protein is the bodies worst kind of fuel and can only be used as such when all carb and fat stores are depleted.
Protein comes in the form of meat , dairy, fish , poultry and some veg .
The body can only store about 50 Grammes of protein a day , the rest is waste . In fact if too much protein is ingested then it could put strain on the kidneys ( which breakdown protein) and cause problems with that .
Fat – fat is the second best form of energy and provides cushioning for various parts of our body . We obtain fat from food , but some fats are actually necessary for daily function. Unsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are good for us and are linked to “ good Cholesterol “. These are found in nuts , fish oil and avocado for example. Saturated fat which is found in mainly red meat is linked to bad cholesterol and should be limited to 10 per cent of total fats of daily intake. Bad cholesterol ( LDL) leads to artery blockages and heart problems.
I base my ideas on sports people. Athletes do not try to look good , they just look great due to their training. They don’t go on weird diets , in fact they eat much more than the average person. Of course they have to , to perforce activities that they do.
Of course we can’t all be athletes, but what if we use the same method that they do , which is train hard and fuel the body as required ? The harder you train , the more fat you burn , and the better your body will look .
Your metabolism will increase which means that you will burn fat even when you are asleep!! Not only that , but you will increase your energy, and feel fantastic. Diets decrease your energy and make you feel awful.
Remember, this is not the thin ness industry, it’s the health and fitness industry.
Would you rather be fit and strong or thin and weak ??
Call to book a Nutritional Consult.