January 02, 2013

By David Blyweiss, M.D.

In This Issue:

• What’s at the top of your New Year resolution list?
• The perfect storm for packing on the pounds.
• 3 TOTALLY DO-ABLE resolutions for weight loss.

How to Beat the “I Feel So Fat After the Holiday Blues”

Happy 2013! It’s hard to believe another year has passed, but here we are. The holidays have come and gone. And the only thing everyone here at the office can talk about is how fat they feel.

When it comes to New Year resolutions, I’ll bet at least 75 percent of my staff and patients have “ditch those extra holiday pounds” at the top of their list.

We’ve dubbed this condition the “I feel so fat after the holiday blues.”

You know the symptoms… you can’t button the top of your pants. Or worse, the zipper stops half-way up. When you tuck in your shirt you can see your stomach dripping over the edge of your slacks or skirt. Anything that was tight before the holidays is entirely off limits.

The problem with the holidays is many of us become distracted from our regular routines. Instead of getting in our daily walk or workout routine we’re busy with shopping and parties.

At the same time, we start dipping into foods we don’t normally eat – and end up eating much more of them than we should. Candies, cookies, cakes, pies, chips and crackers headline the list.

And the problem is, these foods are filled with processed sugars and flours that cause your blood sugar to skyrocket. And once the insulin response kicks in, it makes you crave even more carbs.

So it’s really easy to find yourself munching on these treats all day long without even realizing it.

Then you have the salty foods. You know, ham, stuffing, gravy and deli platters filled with processed meats, dips and salty cheeses. And while salt doesn’t actually make you gain fat weight, it does cause your body to retain water. And that shows up on the scales as weight and leaves you feeling fat and bloated.

All things combined, the holidays create a perfect storm for weight gain. And for those who were already battling weight before the holidays, it’s a real humdinger.

So January’s a great time to start back at ground zero.

Now, the following advice isn’t limited to those of you moaning over the “I feel so fat after the holiday blues.” It’s equally effective for anyone… and everyone who needs to get rid of excess weight.

No matter which group you fall into I know you have one very big question. “How can I get real results right now?”

Truth is there isn’t a silver bullet.

You didn’t gain weight overnight and you’re not going to lose it overnight. So some commitment is required on your part. But I’ve narrowed it down into three easy segments that are totally “do-able.”

That makes it much easier to stick with them until you’ve reached your goals.

So instead of placing weight loss at the top of your list of New Year resolutions, make these simple changes your top priorities. They are easily attainable. And once they are mastered, those extra pounds will automatically begin melting away…

Resolution #1: I will start moving my body more frequently. Your body was designed for movement.

If you look back on history – from the caveman all the way up to the American Indian – humans have always been in motion. We chased animals while on the hunt for meat, dug up our own fruits and vegetables and trekked across miles of land in search of more fertile soil and better hunting grounds.

Things have changed considerably since then. And while we all appreciate being able to jump in a car and drive to dinner at our favorite restaurant, it’s certainly not doing our waistlines, or our health, any good.

Now I’m not suggesting you go chase down your dinner in the woods. I’m just saying it’s time to build movement into your life. And there are several ways to do that.

Some people love going to the gym or engaging in sports activities. If that’s you, go for it. Invite your friends or family members to join you and make it a regular activity.

But if you’re someone who hates the gym or playing sports, you probably wouldn’t stick with either for very long. And that’s nothing to feel guilty about. You simply need to find other activities you enjoy so you’ll be motivated to stick with them in the long run.

My favorite is walking. And it’s the first exercise I always prescribe for my patients. Just 30 minutes in the morning and another 30 in the evening are great for both your health and your weight. That may sound intimidating to start with. But once you get started, you’ll find it can a very enjoyable time of the day.

Bring a friend with you, or even your dog, and just enjoy it. If you need time to clear your mind and regroup, spend a little time walking alone to de-stress. And by the way… sticking to the same times each day will help you incorporate it into your daily routine so that it quickly becomes a “habit.”

You may prefer riding a bike or swimming. On bad weather days it’s easy enough to do something as simple as jump rope on the patio. Maybe throw on your favorite music and dance to the beat in the living room. You can even jog or march in place while watching television.

There’s only one catch. Whatever exercise it is you choose, insert a few 30 to 60 second bursts of intensity. For example, if you’re walking, every few blocks, pick up the pace to a brisk walk, jog or even a sprint – just for a block or two… it’s ok to get a little winded start a little sweat and get your heart rate up to 200 minus your age. If you’re bicycling, take a few moments to pedal as hard as you can. Dancing? Get crazy with the music every now and then.

Resolution #2: I will choose to eat whole foods that promote healthy weight. This is a biggie. It means making a very conscious choice before you put anything into your mouth. And since eating empty carbohydrates like chips, cookies and baked goods can make you crave more of them, it’s a hard cycle to break. Especially after the holidays.

Even worse, year-round consumption of high carb foods like muffins, donuts, cereals, rice, bread, noodles and pasta can leave you at a loss when it comes to meal choices.

Here are a few tips…

For starters, buy yourself a nice fruit salad (more berries than melons please) and toss it in the fridge. Next time you crave a cookie, chip or soda pull it out – and eat it.

It may not give you quite the sugar high you were looking for, but it will definitely help quench that carbohydrate craving. Better yet, it won’t give you the sugar crash that accompanies all of those processed white foods.

After just a few days your body will naturally begin to desire these healthier complex carbohydrates that are much kinder to your blood glucose levels.

As far as meals are concerned, toss out those breakfast cereals, sandwiched lunches and pasta-filled dinners.

If you really want to get healthier faster and lose fat quicker, cut out the grains. And I know that’s tough.

But grains are for animals (some with more than one stomach to digest them.) Our ancestors saw animals eating them and assumed we could too. And grains have only been in our diet for the last ten thousand years of our evolution… it takes much longer to accept a new food source as a source of nutrition.

Grass grazing animals, vegetables grown above and below the ground, nuts, seeds and fruit (ripe to fatten us with its sugar for the lean winter months ahead), that was our diet. Our GI tract has been eating all those foods for hundreds of thousands of years or more.

The wheat we now eat and the corn syrup we add to everything are just 50 and 30 years old respectively.

Another tip is to begin the day with a high protein breakfast. An egg scrambled with onions, green peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, spinach and all of your other favorite veggies will help keep your body feeling more full and satisfied as you make your way through the day.

At lunch try incorporating a variety fruits, greens and proteins. There are several different choices…

You can make a green salad topped with avocado, tomatoes, cucumbers, sprouts, boiled eggs, nuts and grilled chicken. Finish it off with an olive and garlic oil drizzle.

Or how about a delicious chicken, tuna or seafood salad wrapped in lettuce or a low carb corn tortilla? Toss a little fruit on the side and you’re good to go.

Dinner can be just as easy. Seafood and veggies are always a great choice. But if you’re not a fish-lover, grass fed beef and free-range poultry are excellent alternatives.

Just think of it as a mathematical equation.

Protein + fresh veggies + fresh fruits = weight loss and good health.

That’s math anyone can do!

Resolution #3: I promise to sleep at least seven hours a night, but will aim for eight.

Here’s something I’ll bet you didn’t know. If you don’t get enough sleep during the night you may be more likely to gain weight.

I’m not kidding.

A new study shows that when people get less sleep it affects the body at the cellular level. When study participants slept only 4.5 hours a night for four nights in a row, it messed with their glucose and insulin metabolism in a way that caused their fat cells to react improperly.

This placed all of the people in the study at greater risk of both diabetes and weight gain.

If you find it difficult to hit the sack on time, here are some tricks to get you into a sound sleep…

• Turn down the lights. Your body expects the night to be dark. So if all the lights in your house are blazing chances are slim you’ll be able to sleep. Shut them all down. Then turn off your TV, computer and cell phone. This, in itself, will send a signal to your body that it is time to rest.
• Develop a routine. We’re all creatures of habit. If you slip into bed at the same time every night and set your alarm for same time each morning your body will adapt. It may take a little getting used to. But over the course of a week or two a regular sleep pattern will develop.
• Reset your internal time clock. If you have a tough time nodding off, try supplementing with melatonin to re-establish your sleep cycle. Try 1 mg. about an hour before bedtime and you’ll probably sleep like a baby all night long.

If I had to add a fourth resolution, I’d recommend switching from regular table salt to sea salt and drinking plenty of water to flush all of that holiday sodium out of your system. But that’s just common sense.

Be healthy, be well… and put your best foot forward to regain a healthy weight with these very attainable resolutions. Make 2013 yours!

Resources:

Josiane L. Broussard, et al. Impaired Insulin Signaling in Human Adipocytes After Experimental Sleep Restriction: A Randomized, Crossover Study. Annals of Internal Medicine, 2012; 157 (8): 549-557