Copyright 2005 Mary Desaulniers
It has become a familiar scenario: you start the day with black
coffee; you lunch on carrots and celery sticks. You eat a
mouse-size dinner. By the end of the week, you've barely lost a
pound.
Does this sound familiar? Most people who begin a diet-fasting
regimen regain their weight and more within a year. The reason
is simple: a body in starvation mode will fight like mad to hang
on to every fat cell. Your body thinks it is starving if you a)
skip meals b)eat junk food, that is, food rich in calories but
is nutrient-deprived.
What kind of message are you sending your metabolism if you skip
a meal or two every day? Or if you insist on Big Macs and Fries?
The message is simply this: TIMES ARE TOUGH ;YOU NEED TO BUCKLE
IN THE FAT!
So how does your body respond? Your metabolism slows down; your
body tries to save calories, not burn them off; muscle, rather
than fat, gets burned off for energy; any food you eat (even
black coffee) gets stored as fat in preparation for what your
body thinks is THE LONG FAMINE.
Result: You gain weight; you are tired. Food and Fat have become
a vicious circle. Add exercise and you stress the body even more
by increasing caloric requirements without giving the body
proper nutrients. Starvation and Exercise (eat less, exercise
more) is just another Urban Legend for weight loss.
There is a way out of this circle, however. And it takes no more
than a basic understanding of the "psychology" within the body's
metabolism. The body has a mind of its own, a mind that controls
the thermostat of its metabolic functions. Starve the body and
it turns the thermostat down so that no fat is burned and
everything ingested becomes stored fat. Feed the body and it
turns the thermostat up and happily burns fat as fuel and builds
lean muscle tissue.
You've heard it before: your thoughts create your reality and
nowhere is this more true than in the body. Feed it proper food
3 -5 times a day. Give it optimal cellular nutrition in the form
of proteins, low-glycemic carbs, vitamins, mineral, botanicals,
essential fats and water and your body will purr away like a
well-tuned engine. Your body thrives on abundance.
Only through adequate cellular nutrition can exercise be a safe
and effective means to building muscle and breaking down fat.
Your goal should be as much lean muscle as possible and as
little stored fat as possible.
This goal can be achieved by increasing your protein intake.
Why? When you eat Protein, your body releases Glucagon which
raises low blood sugar by converting protein and fat into
glucose.When you eat Protein, your body burns fat; decreases
cholesterol production; increases the release of Human Growth
Hormone; makes kidneys release excess fluid; releases fat from
fat cells for energy; turns dietary fats into ketones for energy.
In short, Glucagon shifts the metabolism into BURNING MODE.
Compare this scenario to that produced by Insulin, which is
released when you eat Bad Carbohydrates. Insulin lowers elevated
blood sugar; increases storage of fat ; stimulates the liver's
synthesis of Cholesterol ; decreases Growth Hormone release;
increases appetite ; makes kidneys retain excess fluid ; shifts
metabolism into STORAGE MODE.
What does this all mean to the contemporary dieter?
A sense of Abundance goes a long way. Feed your Body Lean! Feed
it low Fat Protein, Good Carbohydrates like Whole Grains, 5-7
servings of Fruits and Vegetables and Essential Fats. Eat and Be
Thin!
About the author:
A runner for 27 years, retired schoolteacher and writer, Mary is
now doing what she loves--running,writing,helping people reclaim
their bodies. Nutrition, exercise, positive vision and
purposeful engagement are the tools used to turn their bodies
into creative selves. You can subscribe to Mary's newsletter by
contacting her at
http://www.GreatBodyafter50secrets.com
