Sugar vs Fat

This week I posted a photo on Twitter titled "The Sugar you Drink".  It was a very graphic way of demonstrating the amount of sugar in the drinks people consume on a daily basis.

However, sugar is HIDDEN in so many things that it is ridiculously difficult to know exactly how much you are really consuming.  Sugar is found not only in sweet foods like biscuits, chocolate or cake, but also in savory foods and some that are deemed "healthy", for example, low fat yogurts, wine, balsamic vinegar, salad dressings, pasta sauces and ready meals.  Even low calories sweeteners such as Canderel or Splenda will not stop you putting on weight.  Artificial sweeteners provoke the same reaction in the brain/ body as sugar.  The taste buds register the sweetness and send a message to the brain that sugar is coming, insulin is then released to lower the rise in blood glucose, however, the calories never arrive, but the damage is already done.

Our bodies are designed to only allow a small amount of sugar in the bloodstream, about 1-2 teaspoons, any more than that and the insulin process swings into action.  The insulin removes the sugar from the blood and converts it into fat and then stores it around your waist.  When your diet has too much sugar in it, your cells can become resistant to insulin which increases your risk of type 2 diabetes, and heart disease even if you DON'T have a weight problem.

Investigators now know that excess sugar can attach itself to cells all over the body, this is a process called glycation where the sugar forms a hard sticky crust around the cells.  This causes cell damage which is what causes wrinkles and premature aging from the inside out.

You will do well to remember that sugar is not only chocolate, biscuits and cake, but all carbohydrates are converted into sugar during the digestion process.  I do not advocate excluding entire food groups, so my advice is to stick to the natural sugars found in nature; fruit (only a little), potatoes, carrots, and if you can't go without bread then at least make it as whole grain as humanly possible and go for one with a low GI rating such as Rye.  However, you must limit your intake of carbohydrates to 2-3 times a week if you are trying to lose weight.

So, what happens if you quit sugar?  A LOT HAPPENS.  You will have healthy glowing skin and hair, a trim figure and loads of energy that you've probably been lacking for years.  So take advantage of it and get moving!

Why fat is better than sugar.

Fat has had bad press for decades and is only recently making a come-back.  Fat is good for you, but you need to know which are the healthy fats and which ones your should stay away from.

Stay away from:  Vegetable oils such as canola (from rapeseed), soya, sunflower, safflower and corn.  This includes margarines.  Vegetable oils and margarines are subjected to horrendous refining processes using industrial solvents and hydrogenation processes (margarine).  This also means staying away from any products that use these fats in their ingredients; crisps, industrially produced pastries such as doughnuts, biscuits, cakes and fried foods.

HEALTHY FATS are essential for health.  There are many nutrients found in vegetables such as lycopene, betacarotene and certain vitamins that need the presence of fat in order to be absorbed by the body.

Healthy fats are: oily fish such as salmon and mackerel, nuts, seeds, avocados and olive oil, all of which contain Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs).  These EFAs provide various important health functions in the body and can only be obtained from food - our bodies can not make them on their own.  The outer layer of our cells is made of fat, therefore we need to consume healthy fats to maintain the cell wall strong, healthy and supple so that it can perform its important functions.  New information has come to light that even includes certain saturated fats such as butter, coconut oil and red meat, as healthier than previously thought.

I drizzle my steamed vegetables with butter - delicious!

So, my advice, ditch the sugar and add some healthy fats to your diet!

I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com

Cauliflower Pizza

Here is a Monday freebie!  You may have been reading about how cauliflower is really in fashion at the moment and is being used to substitute anything from rice to pizza bases.  So I decided to try it out for myself, pizza is probably about the only thing I really miss as I never mix carbs and protein.  So the cauliflower pizza base made so much sense to me I just had to try it!

It's delicious!

For the base:
3 cups or a smallish head of cauliflower, cut into florets
1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
1 small egg, beaten
dried oregano and basil, to taste
Salt and Pepper to taste

Topping of your choice.

Preheat the oven to about 205 - 210ºC.

Put the cauliflower in a blender and blend until it resembles "rice".  Tip it into a microwaveable dish and cook on high for 6 minutes, let cool.








Once cooled, add the parmesan and mozzarella, salt and pepper, oregano and basil and mix thoroughly, add the beaten egg and mix well.  Spread onto a baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper, and pop in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes or until golden.

Once it is golden, remove from the oven and add your topping of choice.  I used tomato, red onions thinly sliced, extra spicy chorizo sausage, and more mozzarella.  But what you put on your pizza is up to you!  Then pop it back in the oven for 10 minutes.

Unfortunately the base doesn't get very crispy, so you will need a knife and fork to eat it, but it is truly delicious and gluten free!


Enjoy!

Busting belly fat

Just last week I reminded you all of the different types of body fat; subcutaneous or peripheral fat (pear shape) and belly fat of visceral fat which accumulates around the internal organs behind the abdominal wall (apple shape).  You need to remember that this type of fat is the dangerous kind.  Abdominal fat releases proteins and hormones that can cause inflammation, which then goes on to damage arteries and sets up camp in your liver; which affects how your body processes sugars and fats.  Belly fat is also linked to type 2 diabetes, heart disease, strokes and other chronic diseases.  But now you can do something about it!

Diet is key - obviously.  A poor diet causes the body to accumulate fat and to hold on to it, so changing your diet will change your body shape.  You really need to sit down and take a close look at your diet and decide what changes you need to make.  An effective way of doing this is to maintain a food diary for a week or two.  EVERY TIME you eat or drink something... write it down - don't wait until the end of the day to do it - you'll forget a lot of it!

Two major changes you'll need to incorporate to make your belly blitz work are:

1. INCREASE healthy fats in your diet.  There has been a lot of noise in the press lately about low fat diets NOT helping with weight loss - and they don't.  Fat is no the baddy - MUFAs (Monounsaturated Fatty Acids) found in nuts, olive oil and avocados have been shown to promote abdominal fat loss.
2. QUIT ADDED SUGAR - all forms.  This includes all processed foods - sweet or savory, honey, agave, all grains including organic, as they quickly break down into sugar in the body.  When you think food think natural - fruit, vegetables, animal protein and as organic as possible.  Forget processed meats such as hot dogs or hamburgers.  Forget soft drinks and alcohol, french fries, ketchup and mayonnaise.

Think - fresh vegetables, salads, homemade burgers, baked fish.  Think fresh produce and go as organic as you can.

Even for me, as a nutritionist, I find the immense amount of information about diets very confusing.  For example:

• You have to eat 3 meals a day
• Never skip breakfast
• You should eat 5 small meals a day
• You should drink 3 liters of water every day
• etc.. etc..etc..

I believe that no one diet fits all.  It depends on you, your lifestyle, your body.  Some people can't face breakfast - others can't live without it.  Some people are constant grazers and need to eat all the time - others don't.  However, there is a lot to be said for fasting - you can read my post about the science behind fasting here.  It really does help your body to do what it needs to do on a celular level.  If your mechanics are working well then your weight loss plan will work better.  So consider skipping breakfast and making lunch your first meal of the day... think about that.

Obviously we are all human, and as humans we all make mistakes.  Here are the most common mistakes that lead to your belly fat in the first place:

1. SOFT DRINKS:  Obviously drinking sodas packed full of sugar will make you fat.  But did you know that drinking DIET soda can double your risk of obesity compared to drinking none?  Research has shown that drinking diet soda gives you a higher risk of weigh gain than drinking regular soda.  Water is your best friend - the only one you can rely on.
2. MAGNESIUM DEFICIENCY:  This mineral is extremely important as it is used by every organ in your body, especially your heart, muscles and kidneys.  Investigators have discovered that people who consume higher levels of magnesium tend to have lower blood sugar and insulin levels.  Low levels of magnesium have been found to be the culprit for unexplained fatigue, or weakness, abnormal heart rhythms, muscle spasms, and eye twitches.  Lots of vegetables are great sources of magnesium: swiss chard, spinach, nuts and seeds such as pumpkin, sunflower and sesame seeds, some beans, avocados and seaweed.
3. STRESS:  If you are stressed your stress hormone levels will be elevated and this can hamper even the most diligent of weight loss programs.  You must find a stress busting program that suits you.  As with dieting it depends on what works for you, some people prefer a physical activity like running, boxing or cycling.  Others prefer meditation, yoga, listening to music, Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT).  Or a combination.  Personally I have had great results from sophrology and Yoga - especially when combined with running - which brings me to my final point.
4. EXERCISE:  Movement - any type of movement.  Our sedentary lifestyles are killing us.  The human body needs constant movement.  If you are stuck at a desk, in and office for 9 hours a day - 3-5 visits to the gym every week will do NOTHING to counteract the negative effects of sitting down all day.  So try and incorporate as much movement into your daily life as possible.  Stand up and stretch every half an hour, use the stairs instead of the elevator, get off the bus or subway a stop or two early and walk the rest of the way.  Don't park right outside where you are going.  Park a little further away and walk.  MOVE ALL YOU CAN.

I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com

Men Vs Women in the fight against fat

It has been a long standing joke that men and women come from different planets - but when it comes to losing weight, it just isn't funny.

Men just don't SEEM to care as much as women about weight gain or weight loss.  In fact, lots of men don't even seem to have a problem and can basically eat anything they want without putting on weight.  Whereas we women tend to have a life long struggle with watching what we eat and going to the gym.  However, this is not true.  Men do care about their appearance and the incidence of men with eating disorders is on the rise.  They also have all the common weight problems that we women have.

So why are men and women so different?

Well, mother nature made us different because we have different functions in life.  Now, don't go all feminist on me here - I'm talking on a body function level, not on the paid employment scene!

Women were built to have babies - to carry a child and nourish it through pregnancy and bring it into the world.  In order to accomplish this, women are designed to have a lower percentage of muscle and more body fat than men.  Due to women having less muscle, they tend to have lower basal metabolic rates than men.  This means that men with more muscle require more calories than women of comparable weight.

Men were built to provide for the women and children and to fight/ defend.  Having babies and providing for families are two very different but equally important "jobs".

However, tens of thousands of years later our bodies haven't changed at all as far as our "mission" is concerned.  Yes, we have changed greatly in our ideals, ambitions, obligations and of course our diets.  But, physiologically we are still the same.

So, on a hormonal level, women are naturally engineered to retain and store more fat than men due to

their higher levels of estrogen.  Estrogen is a hormone in charge of keeping fat on the female body in preparation for pregnancy.

Men, have higher levels of testosterone than women.  Testosterone (the male sex hormone) means lower body fat and increased muscle mass.  The differing degree of testosterone in men and women is responsible  for the differences in total body fat percentage, fat distribution, and muscle mass.

Men and women also store fat differently.  You have all heard me talk about different body shapes; apple and pear shapes.  Women tend to store fat around their thighs and hips (pear) whereas men tend to store fat around their middles (apple).  I hope you understand these are tendencies and you will find female apples and male pears!

But the difference in fat storage also means different types of fat and different dangers.  The subcutaneous or peripheral fat found in pear shapes is "safe" fat.  You may not like it, but this is the safe kind... it stays where it is and does not move around the body.  Unfortunately, this type is very difficult to lose.

The abdominal fat of the apple shaped person is the DANGEROUS kind.  This fat is behind the abdominal wall and attaches itself to the internal organs.  It is also known as visceral fat.  This type of fat is able to move freely around the body and is what clogs arteries leading to heart attacks and strokes.  The good news is, it's the easiest fat to lose.

If you and your partner are both trying to lose weight then you might get frustrated that he is losing weight quicker than you.  This is due to everything I've already said.  He probably has more visceral fat which is easier to lose and YOUR FEMALE body is fighting to hold on to what it can in case you decide you want to have a baby.  Working out with your partner is a great thing to do, you can support and motivate each other and it will bring your closer.

So here's what you can do:

• If you are trying to burn fat through exercise, follow a low carb - high protein diet.  When you eat carbs your body stores the sugar for energy - your body can not burn fat in the presence of glucose.  First it uses up all the glucose for energy before it gets round to burning fat for energy.  It's that simple.  So no carbs before your gym session.
• Eat a varied diet with lots of vegetables, animal protein and some fruit.  A high protein diet will keep you feeling full for longer.
• If you need to lose a fair amount of weight, limit your carb intake to twice a week.
• Eat when you are hungry, but eat the right stuff.  Snack on fresh fruit or raw vegetables.
• A handful of raw nuts (if you are not allergic or intolerant) every few days will help enormously in boosting your energy levels.  But remember, they are very high in calories so don't eat the whole bag, just a handful and make sure they are raw.

I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com

Are you obsessed?

Looking like a top model (male or female), or your favorite actor seems to be in fashion at the moment.  The fashion industry is constantly feeding us the notion that we women should all be a size 0 and that you men should all have washboard abs.

Is this realistic? Obviously not.  We are all different, we all have different bone structures and body types, long legs, short legs, curvy bodies, straight up and down bodies... all different and all just as wonderful.  Because the human body really is wonderful and capable of the most incredible things.  To me, it is not about being skinny but being healthy.  Some of the lengths people will go to to be thin frightens me.  If you eat a healthy, well balanced and varied diet and take regular exercise then you will lose weight naturally - if you need to.

However, different people tend to have different attitudes de diets:

• The "Instant Fix"... "I want to be thin NOW!"
• The "Dedicated Fixer"... someone who knows they need to lose weight and are dedicated to doing everything as explained to them - and no cheating.
• The "Yoyo"... someone who loses weight easily, usually for a special event and then quits and puts it all back on - and then some.  They spend their whole lives doing the same up and down, up and down - this is not good for your body.
• The "Obsession or nothing"... they start out ok, doing what they have to do and then it gradually becomes an obsession and their whole lives revolve around food.

The Obsession or nothing group is the one I'd like to talk about here.  Being obsessed about anything is not a good thing.  Being obsessed about your diet can lead to serious health problems.  I read recently that 35% of normal diets progress to pathological eating and of that 35%, 20-25% develop eating disorders.

Yes eating disorders, you've all heard of anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa, and in the USA, a staggering 20 million women and 10 million men will suffer from an eating disorder at some point in their lives.  However, there is a new eating disorder on the rise - orthorexia nervosa:

"characterized by an extreme or excessive preoccupation with avoiding foods perceived to be unhealthy." (Wikipedia)

So, are you obsessed?  Here are a few warning signs so you'll know if you are taking your healthy eating plan too far:

1. Eliminating entire food groups.  This seems to be another "fashionable" thing to do... Eating gluten-free, dairy-free, etc.., Unless you have a medical condition such as an allergy or intolerance you shouldn't eliminate entire food groups.  For example, eliminating gluten from your diet.  The problem with the type of "gluten" products we generally eat is that they are refined; white bread, pasta...  and we also eat too much of it.  Gluten-free products are just as fattening as normal bread and pasta... after all a gluten-free cake is still a cake and stuffed full of sugar.  So don't rule out grains... just limit them to a couple of times a week and make sure they are whole grain.  Whole grains contain vitamins from the B group, vitamin C and essential fiber.  If you want to cut out food groups cut out fried foods, junk food, processed foods and foods with high sugar content.
2. Thinking too much about food.  Lots of people when dieting, spend way too much time
   
   thinking about what they can and how they can eat it.  Of course you should make sure that your kitchen is stocked with healthy foods but there's a limit.  Some people even feel guilty about their food choices.  Some people may "cheat" while on a diet and then feel guilty afterwards and do everything in their power to amend their misdemeanor by going for a run or missing the next meal.  You only get one shot at life you have to enjoy it too.  So you had a piece of birthday cake at your best friend's party - was it delicious?  Good!  Enjoy it! 
3. Criticizing the way other people eat.  You have chosen to diet or to eat healthily.  that does not mean that everyone you know suddenly has to do the same as you.  Do not become judgmental of what other people eat or don't eat and don't believe yourself to be superior because your food choices are healthier.  A healthy relationship with someone is better than dining alone!
4. Eating disorders are actually mental health disorders and are often accompanied by depression.  Some of the symptoms of depression are; sleeping more than usual or sleeping less, lack of concentration, feeling of hopelessness, lack of appetite or compulsive eating, and loss of interest in daily activities.  If you suffer from any of these you should seek help.

You should also discover what works best for your body.  What type of diet works for you?  Why do you want to change your diet?  What do you want to achieve?  Do you eat because you are genuinely hungry or do you eat emotionally?

Remember, life is for living and enjoying - so have fun and if you eat something "unhealthy" every now and again - enjoy it!  Don't obsess!

I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com

Inspiration comes in shrinking packages

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

• Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years.
• The percentage of children aged 6-11 years in the USA who were obese increased from 7% in 1980 to nearly 18% in 2012.  Similarly, the percentage of adolescents aged 12-19 years who were obese increased from 5% to nearly 21% over the same period.
• In 2012, more than one third of children and adolescents were overweight or obese.

In the UK, the latest figures for 2013/14, show that 19.1% of children aged 10-11 years were obese and a further 14.4% were overweight.  Of children aged 4-5 years, 9.5% were obese and another 13.1% were overweight.

Children depend on their parents for their needs.  So how conscious are parents about their child's weight?  Back in February, 2014, I wrote a post about childhood obesity which discussed the problem that three quarters of parents with overweight children are in denial about their child's weight.  Claiming that 77% of parents with overweight children believed that their child's weight was "normal".

Our only hope is that our children realize for themselves that they have a problem.  I'd like to share a true story with you about a 12 year old boy who took control of his weight by himself.

Owen before his diet

Owen Clarke, an English schoolboy was classed as obese at 5ft 4inches (164cm) and weighing in at 10st 8lbs (68.5kg).  He says he was embarrassed by his size and when it came to his physical education class at school he said he hated it because he'd get really tired and he "looked like a tomato".  He says he wasn't bullied about his weight and no one said anything to him about it, but he couldn't play football with his friends and wanted to change.

This change happened when his mother decided to go on a diet.  She told her family she was going to change the way she ate and Owen asked if he could too.

His mother, Ms Hatfield, said that Owen asking her if he could diet made her feel awful,

"I'd never looked at him and thought he was fat or overweight.  He's my son and you just don't look at your child like that."

She also said,

"We always ate convenience food because it's so much cheaper.  I'd been brought up that way and I've never known anything different."

And here are the 2 major problems.  Parents don't admit their child has a weight problem and convenience foods are CHEAPER than fresh food and cooking home prepared meals.  And that, is the sad truth for many people in many "developed" countries.

It is quicker, easier and cheaper to feed your family junk food.  I don't actually believe this to be entirely true.

Owen swapped chocolate and sausage rolls for low fat yoghurts and cucumber and carrot sticks and his mother took responsibility and began preparing home cooked food from scratch.

Owen, in 3 months, has lost an amazing 18kg and now plays football for an hour everyday with his friends.  His mother has also lost 16kg in the joint effort with her son.

Owen after his weight loss

Owen has transformed his life and was able to realize his weight was stopping him from having a normal childhood.  Children need to understand the importance of a healthy diet and parents do too - even more so than their children.  The education that parents should be giving their children at home is not English, Maths, Geography or History, but LIFE SKILLS; the knowledge of how to be healthy, how to eat correctly and to look after themselves, now and in the future.

Children who are overweight or obese are more likely to be overweight of obese adults.  It's the parents' responsibility to teach them what is right and wrong.  So, take a good look at your family, are any of them overweight?  Take a good look at the food you give them, do you need to change what you are feeding them?

I would also like to say that governments need to take a look at society and decide if it is right to let junk food be CHEAPER than buying fresh produce.  Maybe help from the governments is what the general public needs.  From a healthy diet comes healthier people who won't put such a strain on the public health services - it's an all round winner.  You need to attack the root of the problem not try to find a way to deal with all the people who are suffering from obesity related illnesses such as Type 2 Diabetes, heart disease and cancer - among others.

Congratulations to Owen Clarke and his mother for changing and embarking on a healthier lifestyle, Owen you are an inspiration, keep up the good work.

I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com