3 Healthy ways to help make a change for a healthier you
It is a very common practice these days for people to associate weight loss with health. Just because you are skinny does not mean you have low body fat, Just because you weigh less does not mean you have less fat.
Just because you have low body fat does not mean you are healthy.
Just because you look good does not mean you look good on the inside.
The term ‘skinny fat’ comes into play, and the term ‘unhealthy lean’. These are common denominators when people use their diet incorrectly. The world resonates with losing weight to be something that happens when you diet.
What is a diet?
Diet can be defined as, “The kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats.”
Habitually eats?
Here we go!!!!
A diet is not something you go on to lose weight; you are already on a diet. Your diet is the food you eat on a day-to-day basis. And you are not losing weight, or getting healthier!
Your diet is the food that you put in your mouth everyday, and it is because your habits of nutrition are not designed to use body fat as fuel. Hence you are storing fat and not using it.
Your habits are not related around being healthy. If you body is healthy it will not hold large amounts of body fat, you will not be overweight.
Health is associated with a number of conditions related to the body not just food, but that is an entirely another subject, and cause for a completely new blog article.
Your habits are related to either poor knowledge on the subject of nutrition or being healthy is not a priority for you. Which doesn’t make you a bad person, Just means you don’t want to or need to change your habits.
If you are looking for a change and you most probably are… as you are still reading. I want to give you some information to help you. And everything I say can be said with love, as the truth is sometimes the hardest thing to face when it comes to our lifestyle.
I’m not trying to be mean, I just want you to face the fact that a change is needed.
I want you to feel like superman or super women everyday!
Too many people use food as a pleasure to escape reality, it’s a conversation starter, is socially acceptable to congregate around a table and eat and socialize. (And there is nothing wrong with this at all)
BUT, it becomes extreme! An excuse to eat, an excuse to indulge to over consume, this causes a pathway of chemicals in the brain to give a sensation of feeling good. So we develop an attachment to food, somewhat like an addict would to drugs, sugar or caffeine.
This is where people devote an attachment to food, and the cycle repeats. Emotionally reliant on food and the sensation of neuro transmitters that are released in a short term effect which makes you feel good for a short amount of time after you have indulged. But then comes the come down the back to reality fact that you are still feeling miserable inside.
The biggest mindset I can say to people to help change habits related to eating is “FOOD is for FUEL not for Pleasure”
Now this may sound like a food Nazi statement, but think about it our bodies are like machines they thrive on quality fuel.
Short term side effects from the wrong food such as sugar, Gluten, breads, pastas and processed foods have been related to body and mood disorders such as brain fog, Sleepiness, lethargic feelings, aches and pains in the body, mood swings, lack of energy, poor decision making related to food and sleep disorders. (1)
And diabetes is closely related to Alzheimer’s, so sugar is killing your brain. (2)
So food has a major impact on the way our bodies perform. The decisions you make and how you handle stress and ability to be happy.
Are you feeling at you best? Maybe your diet needs some evaluation. So why do you keep putting low grade fuel into your most prized piece of machinery? This is a massive question you should ask yourself on why you don’t feel like you have a spring in your step to attack the day.
So I want to give you 3 ways to improve every aspect of your life to either lose weight or body fat and just have more energy and feel vibrant and active in your body and your brain.
The gut has a major role in how the brain perceives stress, responds to illness and sickness. The communications between the 2 are second to none and research is now calling your stomach your second brain. If your gut brain communication is better then the cravings will reduce, Better decisions will be made and choices that prevail your wellbeing with actions that support a healthier life and better body.
1. Take between 10-15g of glutamine per day
Studies have shown that just by adding glutamine to peoples diets result in a reduction in sugar cravings. Glutamine is used as a fuel source for the brain; it is associated with controlling compulsive feelings and keeping people steady.
Your brain is closely linked to your gut, your gut it is now classed as your second brain If your gut is over grown with bad bacteria this will tell the brain that sugar is needed to feed the bad bacteria hence the cravings. Glutamine helps protect the lining of the gastrointestinal tract known as the mucosa. Protection of this mucosa helps the stomach eliminate bad bacteria and help reduce the chances of pathogen growth.
References: Neu J, DeMarco V, Li N. Glutamine: clinical applications and mechanism of action. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2002;5(1):69-75.
2. Start the day with a solid protein breakfast
I am not talking about eggs or a protein shake, These are the 2 most common reach to breakfast I see people go for when trying to improve there body composition.
The meal must be solid protein. Consuming a liquid meal does not have the same metabolic effect and digestive effect as a liquid option.
Eggs are not solid in nature and require the body not to produce as much digestive actions to process. The digestive action is what you want first thing in the morning to set the body up for the rest of the day’s food intake.
So if your goings to have eggs add some steak, salmon, and mixed nuts to the option to activate digestive enzymes further.
- A high-protein breakfast elevates dopamine, acetylcholine, and other neurotransmitters.
Dopamine and acetylcholine are the neuro transmitters related to motivation, drive, attention span and energy. These are the things that you want at the start and the middle of the day.
- The high-carb breakfast will elevate the hormone insulin, raise the chemical transmitter serotonin, and make you feel foggy in the brain and have lower energy. Make you feel like you are pushing thoughts through jelly.
Serotonin when gets to the brain converts to Tryptophan. Serotonin and Tryptophan are neuro transmitters related to the sense of calm peace and rest fullness, These are the things that are not going to give you drive and energy in the morning, Most likely going to feel like you need a nap at lunch time.
3. Consume Lower Gi Fruits over Higher GI Fruits, and consume Omega 3 fatty acids
If you are looking at losing a few extra kilos or body fat, regulate your intake of fructose and increase omega 3 fatty acids in your diet.
Large amounts of fructose and sucrose and deceased amounts of Omega 3 fatty acids in a sedentary persons diet has been proven to slow down metabolic function and increase insulin resistance. (3)
A study Published on 2013 (Aug; 5(8): 2901–2923. Published online 2013 Jul 26. doi: ) States that a increased amount of omega 6 fatty acids ( fried and processed food) and the increase of fructose in the diet from High fructose corn syrup from soft drink and a reduction of Omega 3, Omega-3 deficiency contributes to insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome related to diabetes and weight gain.
So my point being is if you are consuming high amounts of omega 6 trans fatty acids, deep fried food and soft drinks, then you add in more fructose from fruit, soft drinks energy drinks and under consume omega 3 fatty acids you increasing the risks of metabolic syndrome, Diabetes and Recent studies reveal the broad effects of the metabolic syndrome on mental health disorders, cognitive function, mood changes and depression. Furthermore, diabetic and obese individuals have increased vulnerability to mental health. For these reasons the effects of metabolic syndrome on brain are being extensively investigated. (4,5,6)
To summarize in point form if you are looking to make better decisions related to health and fat loss follow these 3 simple points.
- Take Glutamine in amounts of 10-15g per day in divided amounts with food to reduce cravings and give you an extra fuel source to your brain.
- Eat a solid protein breakfast to improve neural drive through the day, and make better decisions related to what goes into your mouth.
- Avoid consuming large amounts of fructose or sucrose from fruits, soft drinks or artificial sweeteners. Especially if you are overweight and consume higher amounts of omega 6 to omega 3.
Try these 3 simple tips above for 2 weeks and see how your body starts to repay you in energy, mental clarity and most probably weight loss.
Contact me at Tight Fitness Solutions Health and Performance Centre and start getting you health and weight loss goals on track today.
Best,
Tyrone Jensen
Sports Nutritionist
Diploma Health and Fitness.
Lv 1 Metabolic Nutritionist.
Lv 2 Registered Exercise Professional.
Lv 4 Poliquin Strength/conditioning coach.
Lv 2 Poliquin BioSignature Practitioner.
Lv 1 A.S.C.A.
P.I.M.S.T
MP Certified Transformation Specialist.
Qualified E.M.T Trainer (PT Academy VIC)
Qualified Children’s Trainer
(Fitness Australia)
Qualified Older Adults Trainer
(Fitness Australia)
TIGHT FITNESS SOLUTIONS
Ph: 0422 33 10 29
www.tightfitness.com.au
tyrone@tightfitness.com.au
References:
(1) https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/10/061010022602.htm
(2) https://pubs.acs.org/cen/science/87/8720sci1.html
(3) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3775234/
(4) Metabolic syndrome as a risk factor for neurological disorders.
Farooqui AA, Farooqui T, Panza F, Frisardi V
Cell Mol Life Sci. 2012 Mar; 69(5):741-62.
(5) Impact of metabolic syndrome on cognition and brain: a selected review of the literature.
Yates KF, Sweat V, Yau PL, Turchiano MM, Convit A
Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2012 Sep; 32(9):2060-7.
(6) Insulin resistance in the brain: an old-age or new-age problem?
Williamson R, McNeilly A, Sutherland C
Biochem Pharmacol. 2012 Sep 15; 84(6):737-45.
References: Neu J, DeMarco V, Li N. Glutamine: clinical applications and mechanism of action. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2002;5(1):69-75.
