Are You Looking For Weight Loss...
In All The Wrong Diets??
By Jennifer Pereira, RD, LD, CSCS,
Daireds Salon & Spa Pangéa
When I ask people if they’ve been on diets in the past, the answer is yes followed by a laundry list of different restrictions. A virtual cornucopia of will-power based plans. And what, when I ask, was the result? Weight loss, of course. Of course, but then what? 98% of all dieters will regain their weight. So unless the person is a statistical improbability, I already know their answer.
What causes the fall of each “Great New Diet”? First, there is a physiological deprivation created with these programs. There is a biological need to have an adequate mix of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. The body releases chemicals throughout the day which drive us to consume carbohydrates and fats. If ignored, these quiet whispers of nature turn into urgent screams—pretty soon we’re pulling into the nearest ‘drive-thru’ burger joint we can find, and you better believe we’re Super Sizing.
The second limb on the tree of deprivation is psychological. We’re born knowing how to eat—just follow our body’s signals. But each diet tells us to ignore those cues because The Diet knows better what we need. Studies have shown that when food is restricted, there is an increased focus on the food—it builds into an obsession. It’s this distortion of the relationship with food that leads to greater self-distrust. It can be related to Newton’s Third Law: for every food restriction, there is (eventually) an equal and opposite food extravaganza.
But what’s the alternative? A life of uncontrolled eating? Wait, that’s what you already feel you have (in between diets, right?). What if you found out that it’s the diets that are causing the weight to creep ever-higher? What if all of this time you’ve been restricting, choosing “good” foods over “bad” ones—only to find out it’s the habitual deprivation that’s causing your out-of-control eating?
The alternative is a life where you allow your body to tell you what it needs. It’s a life where you think about food and your body maybe 15% of the day instead of 85%. It’s called many things: Intuitive Eating, Mindful Eating, etc. It is ultimately a reconnection to the self, a remembering that you already know exactly when and what to eat—you just have to listen. It’s not the quick fix of a fad diet—but it’s not the quick fail of a fad diet, either. It’s a way of eating that will take you gracefully through life’s upsets. You, too, can be the kind of person who “never has to worry about what they eat.”
Which Came First...the Food or the Mood?
By Jennifer Pereira, RD, LD, CSCS, Nutritionist, Daireds Salon and Spa Pangéa
While some people chalk their food choices up to poor will power, it appears there may be something even scarier lurking under our decisions—Biology. It seems the body is ultimately trying to stay alive. And often times this biological drive interferes with society’s random rules: “thin is in”, low carb diets, etc.
One of the leading mood regulators affected by food is Serotonin. It is made from an amino acid Tryptophan (think Thanksgiving turkey). But it is dependent on carbohydrates to allow entry into the brain. Serotonin is what makes us feel so comforted when we eat ‘comfort foods’. It brings feelings of peace, calm, and even sleepiness. A carbohydrate-rich lunch will result in a serious afternoon slump. Also, a carbohydrate-poor diet has been shown to lead some to feelings of depression.
Upon arising every morning, our body begins releasing Neuropeptide Y (NPY). This chemical increases one’s desire for carbohydrates—it’s production is further increased in the presence of stress hormones. There is a strong link, therefore, between stress and sweet cravings. NPY builds all day long, until the body’s need for carbohydrate is met. Another player, Galanin, begins to rise after lunch and whenever there have been several hours between meals. It causes a craving for fats. When a person goes all day without eating, it is no wonder their meals are abundant in carbohydrates and fats. It is not a will power issue...it’s simple biology.
Lastly, we must address Leptin. This is the body’s regulator of fat storage. While it doesn’t directly affect mood, additional fat stored on the body may make us feel a little grumpy. When Leptin is low, our cravings for fat are high. Low Leptin results from lowered fat stores in the body or decreased fat intake. Leptin may also play a role in stimulating the aforementioned NPY and Galanin—which would stimulate further fat/carbohydrate cravings. Both Galanin and Leptin are stimulated by rapid fat loss. They are the body’s way of remaining in balance.
The moral of the story is: Often times what we believe to be the result of random cravings or weak will power is actually just our bodies doing what they were created to do. And, while we may be able to ignore our physical cues for a while, it is impossible to fight these needs over the long term. Ultimately we find that it is better to find ways to work with our bodies rather than against them.