Losing Weight

Losing Weight

 

            I am writing this as a follow-up to my previous blog on diabetes.  America is becoming obese.  Placing the blame is not my prerogative…only helping people understand the causes, how to prevent it and also how to correct it.  Most people have preconceived notions about what causes obesity.  I grew up believing that any food eaten after the last meal of the day would lead to obesity.  Yet, in my family, we snacked every night and no one in the family would’ve been described as being obese. 

            Today we have media gurus who would want you to believe that eating fruit before 9 AM is a cause of obesity.  Others would have you eat large amounts of fruit, preferably grapefruit in order to lose weight.  Some would have you drink inordinate amounts of water as a weight loss regimen.  There is a kelp diet which convinces the believer that the iodine in kelp will increase metabolism.  We watch dated movies of the Wild West with its “snake oil” salesmen promoting their miracle cure-alls which in reality were nothing more than different concoctions, amply endowed with whiskey.  The numbers of diets “out there” are only limited by the number of hucksters promoting their product.

            The reality of dieting is simple…total calories in and total calories out.  What I mean by that simple statement is that if a person eats the same number of calories that they burn…their weight will remain the same.  On one hand, if a person eats more calories than they expend, they will gain weight.  Conversely, if a person eats less calories than they burn, they will lose weight.  It is nothing more complex than that.  

            My approach is to educate people in two ways:  how many calories you are eating…and how many calories you are burning.   Food is composed of caloric content and non-caloric content.  The non-caloric content consists of vitamins, minerals, water and fiber.  The vitamins and minerals are essential as metabolic additives but do not contribute to the total caloric input.  Water is obviously essential to life and contributes to general cell health, helps maintain the circulatory system and many other vital functions but contains no calories.  Fiber is indigestible and adds nothing to the caloric value of food.  It is valuable as a digestive system rotor-rooter, helping the digestive system maintain a regular train of movement thus eliminating harmful substances more rapidly.

            The caloric portion of food is composed of proteins, carbohydrates and lipids (fats and oils).  There is a significant difference in the caloric content of proteins, carbohydrates and lipids.  Lipids (fats and oils) are 2.25 times as caloric-containing as either proteins or carbohydrates.  In other words fats and oils have 225% the calories of proteins and carbohydrates.  In simpler terms, one cubic mouthful of a fatty meal contains  more than double the calories of a cubic mouthful of a protein-rich or carbohydrate-laden meal. 

            I realize that the Atkin’s diet proposes a largely meat diet, to eschew carbohydrates.  And…I also realize that there is anecdotal evidence to suggest that it does work in removing excess pounds over a rather short period of time.  However, I have seen no evidence of its success in long term weight loss.  One need only heed our evolutionary past to realize that our ancestors were not carnivores but existed on a mostly herbivorous diet with an occasional steak on Friday night.  (Chimps, our closest relatives who share 99% of our DNA, will periodically pack-hunt monkeys which they eat).

            For those intending to lose weight, I am suggesting a high fiber diet, replete with multiple daily servings of fruit and vegetables, limiting meat entrees to low fat varieties such as skinless chicken breasts, fish, lean beef such as round or sirloin, and lean pork.  Of course, salads are great but only if the dressings are limited and of a low-calorie variety.  Eating salads daily is of no use if it is saturated in blue cheese dressing. 

            Something must be said about each of the above.  There are some cautions that should be exercised about each.  Some fruits have surfaces subjected to pesticides.  Apples, pears, plums etc. should be carefully washed to remove any surface pesticides or waxes applied to make them appear more palatable.  Some fruits are high in potassium which requires caution if a person is on certain medicines.  On the other hand, I personally find that exhaustion caused by excessive sweating may be remedied by ingestion of such high potassium fruits as bananas, oranges and especially apricots.  Veggies such as cauliflowers and broccoli are endowed with a variety of chemicals which evidence suggests have anti-cancer properties.  Chicken like all meat is permeated with fat.  However, most of the fat in chicken lies in the skin and the red meat.  Chicken breast if eaten without the skin is low-fat and provides an ample source of animal protein.  Legs and wings (without skin) are by nature more fat endowed and of higher caloric content.  Pork is an interesting example of how animal breeders have changed the reputation of an animal.  When I was growing up, pork was, by reputation fatty.  My dad loved pork chops but in the 1950s, a pork chop contained a small circle of meat (the size of a donut hole) surrounded by a donut of fat.  In the past decades, animal breeders have developed a leaner pig, hence the “new white meat” which pig farmers have been touting.  If you prefer beef, round steak contains the least amount of fat with sirloin a distant second. Read the labels on ground beef.  It will tell you if it is 73%, 85% or 93% lean…  the higher the number, the less fat.  Of course, the price per pound is higher as the leanness increases.

            Most dieticians suggest fish as a suitable protein source.  We know that certain fatty fishes contain “good” lipids such as omega oils.   Tuna and salmon are amongst the fishes containing “good “fats.  Tilapia is mild tasting and reasonably inexpensive.  However, there are some negative consequences of eating each of those fishes.  Tuna are near the top of the food chain and as a result, concentrate all of the pollutants of those organisms lower on the chain.  For example, algae absorb chemicals from the ocean and are in turn eaten by plankton which is subsequently eaten by small fish, etc.  Each step along the way does not reduce the pollutants but simply passes them along to the next step in the food chain, thereby concentrating the chemicals.  Those organisms at the top of the food chain get all the “rewards”.  Shark and swordfish are particularly concentrated in pollutants.  To make matters worse, fish that are farm raised are fed the waste products of the beef, chicken and pork industry in order to fatten them up as quickly as possible.  Those waste products from slaughter (mostly the fatty portions) contain high concentrations of pollutants from the food chain.  Fats serve as the storage depot of many fat-soluble pollutants which are the most dangerous.  It is no wonder that “wild-caught” fish are many times more expensive than “farm-raised”. 

            Fats and oils are qualified as lipids.  However, there is a basic difference between fats and oils.  Fats are solids and oils liquid at the same temperature.  The reason is based in their chemical structure.  Fats because of their chemical nature contribute to the increase of blood cholesterol.  Therefore, a diet high in fats tends to increase the amount of cholesterol in the bloodstream.  An excess of bloodstream cholesterol tends to be stored in the arteries which makes them less flexible.  Less flexible arteries causes blood pressure to rise and are prone to induce spontaneous blood clots and arterial rupture.  On the other hand, most oils do not contribute to excess cholesterol though they are calorically every bit as rich as fats.   Substitute margarine for butter…and limit the amount of margarine.  Cook with corn, peanut, safflower…and particularly olive oil. The exceptions to this is palm oil and coconut oil. Evidence gleaned from the so-called Mediterranean diet, rich in olive oil, suggests increased longevity.  One controversial foodstuff which Americans maintain is absolutely necessary for good health is milk.  HUMANS ARE THE ONLY MAMMALS THAT CONTINUE TO DRINK MILK AFTER THEY HAVE BEEN WEANED.  Milk is high in saturated fat which is most contributory to elevated blood cholesterol.  Unfortunately cheeses and ice cream further concentrate the fat.  We all love cheese and ice cream.  Milk, cheese and…yes…ice cream are all good sources of calcium.  However, there are other sources of calcium.   And… there are races of humans who do not drink milk…and in fact are genetically unable to properly digest it yet maintain good health.  However, not wanting to incur the wrath of the milk lobby, I am suggesting that the dieter simply “wean” themselves of whole milk and convert to skim milk.  Skim milk provides all the protein, calcium and sugar of whole milk but does not contain the saturated fat which contributes to elevated blood cholesterol, concentrated pollutants and excess calories.   Soft cheeses like mozzarella contain less “bad fats” than hard cheeses like cheddar.  Ice cream of course is another matter.  Treat yourself periodically but limit your portions and periodicity.

            Carbohydrates get a bad rap on the diet scale.  Actually, they provide instant energy but in excess they are biochemically converted to fat.  If you consume more carbohydrates or for that matter protein, the excess will be converted to fat…as if you were storing them for hibernation.  Unfortunately, humans don’t hibernate nor need to store food for a rainy day.  It appears that those genetically pre-disposed to become type II diabetics tend to store excess food for a “rainy day”.  Researchers believe that evolution has provided them a step-up on others, providing them an ability to survive feast or famine situations.  

Carbs can be integral to a healthy diet by combining their intake with fiber.  Fruits and veggies are high in carbohydrates but also contain high fiber content.  Rice, bread and pasta are also high in carbohydrates but by eating brown rice, whole grain breads and pasta provide not only the craved carbohydrates but also the intestinal cleansing fiber and reduction in blood cholesterol. The commercials you have seen for Cheerios have some basis I fact.   Science shows that oats do lower blood cholesterol.   

            The answer to weight loss is to keep a caloric count of your daily intake…as well as your DAILY OUTPUT.  Obviously, if you curtail your intake of calories, but remain anchored to your couch, your weight loss will slow.  Carry a pocket tablet with you to list your caloric input but also detail you daily activities.  Most of us sleep 6-8 hours per day.  Sleep consumes calories but at the minimal rate.  On the other hand, anything more exertive consumes more calories.  Just sitting still consumes twice the calories of sleep. Driving a car consumes 10 times the calories of sleep while riding a bike consumes 49 times the calories.  Swimming consumes the greatest number of calories with the backstroke consuming the incredible 280 times the calories of sleep.  Plus, swimming is far less stressful on joints. Even sex is a good caloric-expending activity.  Studies show that a male sexual act involving ejaculation consumes as many as 150 calories which ironically is the same number of calories as a beer.  Of course, those studies are dependent on body weight and duration of sexual intercourse. The ejaculate itself is exceedingly rich in calories in the form of sugar and protein in order to provide sustenance to the sperm for their potential journey to meet the egg. Google calorie expenditure charts to find a guide for calculating weight loss dependent upon a particular activity.     

            There are some subtle behavioral modifications that are intended to be taught in this weight loss practice.  By keeping a daily record (in writing) of all the calories eaten as well as those expended, one has the tendency to focus on those foods that are high in calories versus those that are low in calories …but still filling.  One also realizes that a slight increase in physical activity allows for a greater net calorie reduction.  By collecting the data (like a scientist), you should be able to realize where you can make changes in your diet and your daily activity. 

            Now, beer is another matter… alcohol, whether beer, wine or spirits is burned as a carbohydrate.  It is quickly absorbed by the stomach and either burned for the caloric value or converted into fat if there are already ample foodstuffs to run the body’s metabolism.  The scientific data is confusing as to the pros and cons of alcohol consumption.  Much of the data suggests that modest alcohol consumption (one drink per day for females and two per day for males) actually leads to the greatest longevity as far as actuarial tables are concerned in comparison to teetotalers or heavy drinkers.  Yet, recently, another study suggests that drinking at any level may lead to greater incidences of cancer in females. 

The interpretation of data is difficult because it does not take into account individuals and their ethnic background.  Some cultures imbibe to a much greater degree than others and have done so for millennia.  This tends to eliminate from those cultures through natural selection those who are sensitive to alcohol.  Those cultures in which alcohol has not played a major role often show greater sensitivities.  Asians and Native Americans have a tendency to have a more detrimental level of reaction to alcohol.  The reason is that an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase quickly converts alcohol to another substance on the way to burning it.  Some peoples of the world metabolize alcohol more effectively than others.  Europeans and people of European descent have variants of alcohol dehydrogenase which more effectively metabolizes alcohol than Asians and Native Americans.  It has been suggested that ancient Europeans spiked their food and drink with alcohol in order to ward off harmful bacterial contamination.  Asians and Native Americans and others boiled their water as a means of purification.  Of course, variations exist in all populations, so scientists consider the average individual when making sweeping statements and yet…no one fits the “average” precisely. As a friend of mine likes to quote, “you pay your money and you take your chances”.