Fueling our Bodies for Weight Loss
Pro tip: don’t skip meals. It can make you fat.
Ever heard that line before "Eat less, exercise more"? Sadly it is still what most doctors prescribe. The first problem is that mostly we aren't told what to eat less of! Secondly the more exercise you do the more fuel you need - that actually makes sense doesn't it. The fact is almost nothing could be worse for losing and more importantly sustaining your weight loss. It's all about muscle and fuel demand.
The Sources of Fuel
The body has 3 sources of fuel and we burn in this order: Glucose (also stored as glycogen). Muscle. Fat. Our bodies are designed to burn glucose first and then muscle, mostly leaving our fat stores for preservation in case of starvation - just the way we've evolved. In other words, as long as we have an excessive carb/sugar intake being turned into glucose we don't have to burn fat (aka the American diet). If we reduce our carbs dramatically but don't get sufficient useable protein, our bodies will burn down muscle primarily. Finally, if we reduce the carbs and optimize high bio-available protein, our bodies quickly become fat-burning machines with a revved-up metabolism.
Why We 'Yo-Yo' after Weight Loss
Muscle Burns Fat for Fuel
On so many diets insufficient emphasis and education are placed on why we need so much protein; and why the quality of protein is critical. It's all about the useability of the protein we ingest. Here is a word from Dr. Tran Tien Chanh, founder of the Ideal Protein method:
"Meat or chicken protein assimilation rate is about 75%, the other 25% is eliminated. About 1/3 of that is water, then there is fiber, connective tissue and fat, therefore, only about 15 g of useable protein can be used by the body. (20 g at the most superior-quality meat.) So, when it comes to protein assimilation, natural meat's useablity is 15-20%".
Most diet plans are very low in useable protein so the body burns down muscle (which will show up nicely on the scale as weight loss because muscle weighs more than fat, however they haven't gotten much in fat stores). This leaves the dieter at a disadvantage for burning fat at the end of their diet and it doesn't take long for them to regain their weight and then some once they return to "normal" eating habits.
On the contrary, "Don't skip meals."
We all know not to skip meals. We all know that " breakfast is the most important meal of the day ".
Yet so many of our new dieters have been doing this, believing that fewer calories will lead to weight loss when in fact it's been part of their weight gain dilemma.
There are several problems with skipping meals. First hunger changes the way our bodies process foods and signals the body to store fat - and hunger leads to bad decisions. If we miss breakfast then we have essentially been " fasting " since the night before. This is a stressor to the body and a signal to hold onto fat no matter what. Our blood sugar tanks setting us up for a reactive insulin response as soon as we do put food into our systems. And often that first food of the day is - you guessed it - carbs!
Our bodies react to food differently when deprived of it. Not only do you get that uncomfortable pang in your stomach, but our bodies begin to lower their metabolic rate. When this happens, we slow down the ability to burn stored fats. When we are under-fueled, the body is signaled to hold on to fat
So when you skip a meal, your body essentially panics and is not sure the next time it’s going to get fed. This signals the body to hold on to its fat, regardless of the number of calories you consume. To conserve stored foods (read fats), it begins to slow down your metabolism, saving these fats for later possible survival. Once you eat again, your metabolism will take longer to wake up, which will also lead to slower processing and potentially, storing more fat.
When we don't eat, our blood sugar levels drop. When our blood sugar levels drop, we get tired and groggy. When we’re tired and groggy, we make bad decisions. These bad decisions usually consist of quick unhealthy snacks, cravings for high-calorie foods and binging, instead of eating a healthy portion.
Studies done by Cornell University found those who shop while hungry purchase 31% more junk food than those who eat beforehand. Also, those who go food shopping between typical dinner hours (4-7 p.m.) opt for more high-calorie foods. Ultimately, this shows that we make poor nutritional decisions when we skip meals.
These poor decisions can be in the form of a quick trip to the vending machine, a binge on treats at our desk, or overindulging in otherwise healthy foods.
What to do?
Don’t skip meals
Prepare ahead of time
Enjoy the process of eating!
First things first, don’t skip meals. It is certainly not the answer to weight loss. The most valuable steps you can take towards weight loss are education and awareness, with low carbohydrate, high protein diet, and lots of hydration
One main reason we believe in a high protein diet (though not hyper-protein aka Atkins) is because protein tends to leave you feeling satisfied for longer. This means, your body won’t feel hungry and won’t slow down its metabolic rate to conserve energy. Empty carbohydrates and sugars are known to spike hunger levels, by filling you up quickly and leaving you hungrier, sooner.
A healthy breakfast (with proteins and healthy carbs) will help prevent having a blood sugar drop before lunchtime. Eating boosts your metabolism and kicks it into high gear. Hunger makes this process slow down. By eating healthy, consistent meals, your metabolism will be running at a happy, consistent rate. Then have a small snack between breakfast and lunch and lunch and dinner keeps your fat-burning engine revved up. It doesn’t take much, some chopped veggies or a slice of lean ham or turkey, or a few almonds will keep you purring along.
Preparing ahead of time is critical in keeping healthy snacks with you, which helps you avoid binging on anything, and making unnecessary trips to the vending machines, or eating unhealthy foods.
Here at BonVie, we suggest “limit carbs to twice a day and have lean protein 3 times a day
When indulging in these healthy meals and snacks, take the time to savor the taste and chew it completely. The idea here is to get as much satisfaction as possible from each bite while allowing your body to break down and process what you’re eating.
In addition to giving your body time to process these nutrients, it also allows you to realize when you’re almost full, avoiding the dreaded “food coma.” Chew, smell, enjoy and don’t rush, or skip your meals.
