Eat less, exercise
more. You’ve probably heard that’s the secret to weight loss. So, it makes
sense that if you want to lose weight quickly, or if you’ve hit a weight-loss
plateau, you need to really ramp up the exercise, right?
Unfortunately,
many people experience frustration with this approach. Why aren’t they
successful? Research suggests that
weight loss can be more complex than a simple “calories in/calories out”
formula. In fact, our hormones play a larger role in regulating our metabolism
than many people realize. As a result, maintaining a diet that encourages
hormonal balance is often more effective than hours of exercise.
Why
Exercise Can’t Make Up for a Bad Diet
Consider a woman
training for a 5-K, like the Feaster Five. She runs from half an hour to an
hour every day. With all of that exercise, she figures she should be losing
weight and should be able to treat herself every so often. However, she’s plagued by some remaining
pounds that she just can’t shake.
What’s happening?
Let’s take a look at the math. As a 140-pound woman, she burns about 300
calories in a 30-minute run. And that’s fantastic! In addition to the calorie
loss, she experiences cardio health, mood elevation, stress reduction and
countless other benefits (including a sense of accomplishment!) from her runs.
However, those 300
calories are a lot easier to consume than they are to burn. Simply put, she can
consume 300 calories by eating a small bagel or sipping on a sweet coffee
drink.
In fact, studies
have shown that exercising often leads to an increase in food consumption. I know this to be true for myself, I
often need a snack before a workout (and sometimes afterwards, if my workout
caused me to push off dinner to later in the night). Some of this effect may be
due to our hormones’ impacts on appetite, and some of it simply might be
because we tend to tell ourselves (often subconsciously) that we deserve more
food after a workout.
The
Science Of Exercise And Appetite
Interestingly, one
study found that a modest amount of exercise (about 30 minutes a day) is more
effective for losing body fat than longer periods of working out. One reason
for this might be that our everyday movement (the things we do in a normal that
are not related to formal exercise) may decrease if we’re tired from a long
workout. As well, the hormones that stimulate our appetite may increase when
our bodies are overstressed.
What does this
mean for your weight-loss efforts? All told, scientists have concluded that
diet is more effective than exercise for weight loss. However, the best
approach combines the two. That’s because it’s important not to dismiss
exercise’s role. Working out can improve your metabolism, particularly if you
add strength training to your routine (such as yoga or pilates). And, of
course, - exercise offers countless other benefits, from better skin to
improved digestion to deeper sleep. It’s an important part of a healthy,
balanced life.
The
Most Effective Formula For Weight Loss
So, what is the
ideal weight loss formula? The best approach is one that reflects your unique
health profile. Your age, gender, overall health and lifestyle all impact your
metabolism. That’s why it’s important to work with a Naturopathic Doctor to
look at the whole picture and develop a strategy that works for you and to make
sure there isn’t something else going on, like a hormone imbalance, that’s
sabotaging your ability to reach your weight loss goals.
Breaking
a Plateau - Tips for Success
A few simple
changes can help you make the most of the “diet” part of the equation so that
you experience the weight-loss benefits of both diet and exercise.
1.
Experiment with intermittent fasting to find a fasting schedule that works for
you.
Intermittent
fasting involves integrating scheduled periods of abstaining from food. There
are many different approaches you could try. To name a few popular examples,
some people eat regular meals five days a week and fast for the other two. And
many people follow an “8-16” schedule, in which they eat for eight hours a day
(for example, 10:00am to 6:00pm), then fast for 16 hours.
Studies have found
that the effectiveness of these periods of fasting goes beyond the missed
calories because of the effect on your hormones - for example, periods of not
eating can help keep insulin levels in check. When your food is digested in
your gut, carbs are converted to sugar and used for energy. But excess sugar is
stored as fat, with the help of insulin. If your insulin levels drop, fat cells
can release this stored sugar. In addition, fasting can naturally elevate your
levels of human growth hormone (HGH) which can lead to muscle growth and fat
loss.
2.
Keep a food diary.
One strategy that
has been proven effective for weight loss is to carefully monitor what you’re
eating in a food diary. Making this a habit can help prevent the tendency many
of us have to overcompensate for an exercise session or grab a quick snack
without realizing the extra intake and its effect. My favorite Apps for this are My Fitness Pal
and My Plate.
3.
Focus on natural, nutrient-dense whole foods.
When you want to
get the most nutrient value from the foods you eat, “clean” eating is the best
approach. Often when people hit plateaus in their weight-loss efforts, hormone
imbalances are to blame. And that means that no amount of extra exercise will
help break the plateau. Nutrient-dense foods are full of vitamins and minerals
that can help restore hormonal balance. So try cutting out processed foods, refined
sugar, and alcohol in favor of whole foods. September is the perfect time to
cook some hearty stew or chili full of warming spices, fiber rich legumes and
colorful veggies. Check out my recipe for Autumn Chili.
Understanding how
your unique body is working involves testing, not just guessing, and this holds
true for weight loss. Maybe it’s a hormonal imbalance or food sensitivities
that are impacting your body’s ability to metabolize food properly and stay
slim.
As always, a
personalized approach will be the most effective. If you’ve hit a weight-loss
plateau, or if you’re wondering how to achieve the right balance between diet
and exercise, give Advanced Health & Wellness a call at 978-475-7676!