Losing weight is not as easy as it seems. Protein keeps you fuller for longer Wow, hardly earth shattering information you say, but still, these two facts that have been driven home for me in the last two months. There has been some heated discussion in the exercise and weight loss industries regarding obesity and dieting.
One well known fitness professional recently wrote an article about the use of lap band surgery. The argument went along the lines of – to be a candidate for lap band surgery, you first need to lose weight. This begs the question – if you can lose enough to qualify for surgery, why not carry on the weight loss and forego the surgery?
A surgeon who performs said surgery countered this with: it’s not always that easy for people to lose weight and those choosing this option do so as a last ditch attempt to regain control over their weight, lives and health. I have to admit, I tend towards the “eat less, move more” school of thought. However, when I recently undertook a month of lifestyle changes with the goal of 2 kg weight loss, I had to re-think my outlook. I don’t need to lose weight, but the minute I started thinking about what I was / wasn’t eating, I became obsessive about food and ended up gaining weight over the month. The gain was small – only 500g, however, if I put on 500g a month I would gain 10% of my current body weight in less than a year.
A sobering (and frightening) thought. As soon as the next month started, the weight I gained dropped off immediately. I didn’t make any conscious effort to lose the weight, just stopped thinking about it… Now I know this isn’t a good approach for those really needing to lose weight, but it did make me more sympathetic to dieters everywhere. My next step was to test the power of protein.
There are various diets out there that kick start the weight loss process with a day or two of eating only protein (eggs, meat, chicken, fish, pulses, dairy etc). Whilst I always try to include protein in my meals, I was keen to give this approach a go. The results of my one day experiment really surprised me – I ate small meals (there are only so many boiled eggs, tins of tuna and yogurt you can eat), but I was never hungry and didn’t even feel like having anything else. Amazing. I wouldn’t try this for more than a day as I love my food too much and eating only protein doesn’t provide the many other important nutrients that we need every day, but it did drive home the power of protein. So, what have l learnt through all this? • Dieting isn’t always easy, but eating protein definitely helps keeps the hunger pangs at bay
The silly season is officially upon us but you can survive without doing too much damage to your waist line and liver by following these simple guidelines: • Don’t over-do it – you can enjoy seasonal treats without over indulging. One serve is enough. Put your knife and fork down and don’t keep reaching for more (place your napkin over your plate if that helps) • Alternate alcohol with water – we all know it but don’t always apply. You won’t feel so bad in the morning, you’ll limit the empty calories you consume and you might just avoid the calorie laden hangover-cure-greasy-breakfast • Keep moving – 30 minutes exercise on most days will keep your fitness levels up, stress levels down and that party frock will still fit comfortably
Enjoy your Christmas and make sure that the start to 2012 is a healthy, fit one.
Anja Lineen Personal Trainer www.goforfit.com.au
Note: I’m not a qualified dietician. Please seek expert advice before attempting any weightloss regime.
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