To Eat, or Not to Eat?

I often get asked many questions as a Lifestyle Doctor. “How do I avoid cancer?”, “What’s the best cure for heart disease?” or “How do I reverse my diabetes?” However, the most common question I get asked is:

“What’s the easiest way to lose weight?” By “easiest” they mean “without exercise!” Now I always recommend a healthy exercise programme along with dieting but the truth is that 80% of weight loss is to do with what we eat, when we eat and how much we eat. Here are 3 of my best tips for losing weight without exercise:

1) Eat more Weigh Less!

Our problem is not that we eat too much, it’s that we eat too much calorie-rich foods. Fruits, vegetables, beans & grains contain all the nutrients we need to live a happy and healthy life. The great news is that they also have very little fat. You can eat large quantities of these foods without putting on weight. So the trick is to eat more of the right food which will help you lose weight.

2) Eat when you’re Hungry!

This sounds like a very simple piece of advice, perhaps even simplistic. The problem is that this is advice that few of us actually follow. Many of us eat when it’s time to eat rather than when we are hungry. Or we’ll eat when we are bored or when watching TV. For many of us, our bodies rarely experience hunger as it has a constant supply of food.

During hunger our bodies are saying “ I really need some energy so if I don’t get it from food I’ll get it from the stores of fat in your body.” That is exactly what we want to happen. You’re your body an opportunity to break down some fat during the day. This may mean eating only twice a day, sometimes only once!

3) Avoid Sugar!

in a desperate attempt to avoid eating fat, many people load up on sugar. Sugar should be avoided for many reasons:

1. It’s converted into fat.
2. It increases circulating insulin levels which is a hormone that makes more fat.
3. It raises your blood pressure and lowers your immune system.

“How do I avoid sugar?” I hear you ask. The best way I’ve found is when you have that craving for something sweet (ie) a biscuit, Say to yourself “Yes I’ll have that biscuit….but in half an hour” (telling yourself you can’t have something only reinforces your desire). At the same time eat an apple. This will slowly release sugar into your blood stream so that in half an hour you’ll have enough sugar in your system to overcome the craving for something sweet. So you:

Don’t

Resist,

Choose to

Have

It but

Delay

It

The D.R.C.H.I.D.I. method. It works!

These are just 3 excellent tips that will lead you onto the path of a healthier you.

Healthy New Year!