WEIGHT A MINUTE
How to eat and STILL lose weight – 11 top tips from a metabolism guru
From hacking your snacks to simple ways to reduce stress
IF you’ve tried every diet under the sun but still can’t shift those excess pounds, it might be that you’re eating the wrong foods - rather than too much food.
Simple habits such as increasing the amount of time you fast each day, cooking from scratch and reducing your stress levels might make all the difference.
6
How to Eat (And Still Lose Weight), a book by weight loss surgeon Dr Andrew Jenkinson, looks at the relationship between the brain and body and why the Western environment is setting us up to fail.
Dr Andrew says: "We all have a natural weight set point - the weight your brain wants you to be and the weight you should naturally be.
"Going above that weight causes problems.
"It is not the calorie number, but what we eat, and the chemical reaction food causes in our body and brain that makes us pile on the pounds."
READ MORE ON DIET
If we all ate the way we did 100 years ago, we’d be okay, he adds.
But today, our diets are full of foods that "derail our metabolisms and signal weight gain", like sugar, fructose and vegetable oils.
It all comes down to leptin, known as the fat hormone, which is the master controller of weight, Dr Andrew says.
"Higher fat causes higher leptin in the blood, which acts as a signal to the part of the brain that controls hunger," he adds.
Most read in Diet & Nutrition
"For those that go above a healthy weight, leptin is blocked from the brain and they are left feeling hungry all the time - but it’s possible to reset this by changing what you eat."
Dr Andrew reveals the simple steps we should all be taking each day to ensure a healthy weight for life...
Weight Loss Jabs - Pros vs Cons
1. FAST
Fasting reduces stress levels, decreases inflammation and leads to greater longevity, according to the expert.
"Fast for at least 16 hours a day - and 18 if you can," he says.
"The optimum would be to only eat one meal a day. But at the very least, avoid eating four hours before you sleep to reduce cortisol levels, which are stress hormones that increase insulin and appetite.
"We do know that eating only for a certain time period in the day is good for our insulin profiles and therefore our weight.
"In this respect, delaying eating in the morning is as good as stopping eating for the day in the early evening."
2. CHANGE THE WAY YOU EXERCISE
We all know that exercise can help shift our extra pounds. But what type is best?
Dr Andrew says short periods of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is preferable to weight training or endurance training when it comes to weight loss and should be done three times a week.
"HIIT sessions increase the stress on your muscles and cause a 300 to 450 per cent surge in growth hormone (GH) release," he says.
"Growth hormone has many beneficial effects, including increasing metabolism, improving insulin function, stimulating the immune system, building muscle, strengthening bones and even improving brain function.
"Growth hormone levels stay high for 24 to 48 hours after a HIIT session, so this type of exercise only needs to be performed two to three times per week.
"In addition, HIIT increases BDNF (bone-derived neurotrophic factor), which stimulates neural pathways and can lead to the production of new brain cells, protecting against brain degeneration."
Everybody should be able to cook a simple vegetable soup, casserole, chilli con carne, spinach and chickpea curry and a vegetable frittata
Dr Andrew Jenkinson
However, he warned that too much exercise can actually cause weight gain as people's appetites increase.
And Dr Andrew also advised against relying solely on your step count to lose weight.
"Counting daily steps is futile for significant weight loss as 10,000 steps only uses 300 to 400 calories," he adds.
Instead, try this workout:
- Warm-up for five to 10 minutes
- Complete 30 to 45-second intervals of sprinting (e.g. running, rowing, using the cross trainer or cycling as fast as you possibly can)
- Do 90 seconds of a slower recovery-type activity
- Continue for 30 minutes
"Do not repeat this activity every day as the body needs recovery time," Dr Andrew says.
"The aim is to exercise the muscles to such an extreme that they run short of oxygen and have to break down glucose without it.
"This is called anaerobic (without oxygen) exercise."
6
3. REPLACE A BAD HABIT WITH A GOOD ONE
Each of our habits represents a small action in our lives – a decision to do one thing and not another.
Individually, habits are small. But if you add up the amount of time we spend on our habits, it makes up 45 per cent of everything we do.
"Habits form by repetition," Dr Andrew says.
"The more we perform our habits, the more ingrained they become; and eventually, they become subconscious actions and our thinking brain doesn’t have to get involved.
"So if you have the unhealthy habit of snacking on sweets, chocolates or crisps in the evening, turn this habit around by replacing the highly-processed foods with healthier alternatives.
"Perhaps create a platter of chopped vegetables and enjoy that instead."
- On a large wooden chopping board, arrange a selection of chopped raw vegetables, such as cherry tomatoes, celery, finely sliced (red or white) cabbage, cucumber, carrots, sugar snap peas or mini (or whole) sweet bell pepper.
- Dress with salt and pepper to taste, and consider serving with your own homemade ranch dressing.
- For the dressing, mix full-fat yogurt (1 cup) with Dijon mustard (1 tsp), buttermilk (1/3 cup), chives, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and dried parsley to taste.
- The ranch dressing can be poured into halved and hollowed-out bell peppers.
WHAT TO EAT
- Fresh vegetables, particularly leafy green and brightly coloured ones, infuse your body with phytochemicals, those anti-inflammatory and life-extending antioxidant messages from our plant friends.
- Red meat is full of health-giving natural saturated fats. These fats do not spike insulin levels and do not cause obesity. Grass-fed meat (beef and lamb) is better as it has higher omega-3 levels.
- Pulses and beans are a fantastic source of healthy high-protein calories and can be used in place of typical staple carbs (rice, pasta, potato). Another often overlooked alternative to traditional carbohydrates are grains like buckwheat or quinoa.
- The best fruits to consume are berries, which are full of phytochemicals and low in fructose sugar.
- If you consume dairy products, natural yogurts and cottage cheeses are high in protein, calcium and B vitamins. These are great foods to start your day with.
- Canned fish such as tuna, salmon, sardines or mackerel (in tomato, and not oil) are convenient snacks that are full of nutrients, particularly omega-3.
- Instead of vegetable oils, stock your pantry with extra-virgin olive oil, butter, coconut butter and clarified butter (ghee).
4. LEARN TO COOK
While ready meals are convenient, they aren't helping with your weight loss goals, according to the doctor.
"In order to be able to maintain a healthy weight, you have to be able to cook," Dr Andrew says.
"Your repertoire should include the following as a minimum; a simple vegetable soup, casserole, chilli con carne, spinach and chickpea curry and a vegetable frittata.
"Also, master how to put together a wonderful-looking salad that will entice your taste buds each lunchtime."
And when you do serve your food, do so on smaller plates.
Plan what foods to cook and meals to prepare at the beginning of each week - including lunches, which is particularly important if you work away from home
Dr Andrew Jenkinson
"Remember that your environment plays a big part in whether you will perform an action or not, and whether you will form good or bad habits," he says.
";A badly organised and equipped kitchen and a poorly stocked pantry will make it much less likely that you will enjoy cooking great food."
Another great tip, he says, is to make sure everything is as fresh as possible.
"And get rid of your vegetable oils (they are not food) and any jars of sauces, mixes or dips that contain lots of these oils," he adds.
6
5. HACK YOUR SNACKS
When the mid-morning munchies hit, it can be difficult to resist a chocolate bar from the vending machine or a pastry with your coffee.
It therefore pays to be prepared.
Dr Andrew says: "If you know you’re going to be out all day, planning your snacks will save you buying something you’ll regret later."
His top suggestions include:
- Rice cakes topped with avocado, soft cheese or tomato
- Berries
- Greek yogurt
- Edamame
- Tinned fish in brine or tomato sauce
6. EAT SUSHI FOR BREAKFAST
The best way to start your day is a cup of warm water and lemon - not a bowl of porridge, Dr Andrew says.
"Although some people say that breakfast helps you concentrate, there is no compelling reason that this meal is essential," he adds.
"Many people just don’t feel that hungry in the morning, and our prehistoric ancestors would not have started eating as soon as they awoke, they would have gone out to hunt or gather food, driven by their hunger.
"Our bodies are not evolved to need food as soon as we rise."
Ultra processed foods should be avoided
Dr Andrew Jenkinson
But if you do want to eat, don't reach for a bowl of cereal or porridge.
"Other countries do breakfast so much better than our cereal and toast combination, which is awful," Dr Andrew says.
"My favourite is in Japan where they eat crispy fried salmon, a small bowl of rice and miso soup - which is how I start my day when I have the time," he adds.
"When I’m in a rush, I opt for full fat yoghurt, berries and a drizzle of honey."
6
7. DELETE TAKEAWAY APPS
To make bad habits a thing of the past, it’s worth getting rid of the cues that cause you to crave unhealthy foods.
"Clear the house of any type of processed food, avoid going to the supermarket and get a delivery of fresh foods instead," Dr Andrew says.
Most importantly, delete those enticing takeaway apps.
"Getting rid of Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats means it's than much more difficult to order a takeaway," the expert adds.
8. PLAN AHEAD
"Fill your house with healthy vegetables, meats, fish and dairy products, have healthy snacks available in the fridge, and make sure the fruit bowl, displaying multi-coloured fresh fruits, is prominent in the kitchen," Dr Andrew says.
"Plan what foods to cook and meals to prepare at the beginning of each week - including lunches, which is particularly important if you work away from home."
How ultra processed is YOUR kitchen?
Ultra processed foods (UPFs) were defined by Brazilian researchers who made the NOVA classification system. It breaks foods into groups depending on how processed they are. The most natural foods are in group 1, while the most processed are in group 4.
The groups do not entirely indicate how healthy a food is. However, it does indicate how processed it is - and studies have linked UPFs to a number of diseases.
How does your kitchen compare to the following groups?
Unprocessed or minimally processed foods (group 1)
- vegetables and fruits (fresh or frozen)
- dried fruits with no added sugar, honey, or oil
- grains and legumes (chickpeas, lentils)
- meat, poultry, fish, seafood, eggs
- milk without added sugar
- plain yogurt with no added sugar
- nuts and seeds
- spices and herbs
- tea, coffee, water
Processed culinary ingredients (group 2)
- iodized salt
- salted butter
- sugar and molasses from cane or beet
- honey extracted from combs
- syrup from maple trees
- vegetable oils crushed from olives or seeds
- butter and lard from milk and pork
- starches extracted from corn and other plants
- vegetable oils with added anti-oxidants
- vinegar with added preservatives
Processed foods (group 3)
- canned vegetables, fruits, and legumes
- fruits in syrup
- salted or sugared nuts and seeds
- salted cured or smoked meats
- canned fish
- artisanal breads and cheese
Ultra-processed foods (group 4)
- pop and fruit drinks
- sweetened yogurt
- sweet or savoury packaged snacks (e.g., cookies)
- candies and cake mixes
- mass-produced packaged breads and buns
- margarines and spreads
- breakfast cereals
- cereal and energy bars
- energy drinks
- instant soups, sauces, and noodles
- poultry and fish nuggets, hot dogs
- many ready-to-heat products: pre-prepared pies, pasta, and pizza dishes
9. KNOW WHAT’S IN YOUR FOOD
UPFs are ultra-processed foods that are "specifically designed to trigger our pleasure centres".
They tend to be products with long lists of ingredients, including emulsifiers, preservatives, anti-caking agents, colourings and flavourings, that are not used in home cooking.
"These foods should be avoided," Dr Andrew says.
One of the most common, he says, is wood pulp, also known as cellulose, which is often used as a bulking agent or filler to "make food look bigger and tastier".
"Sawdust is very cheap cellulose and is regularly used in processed foods including white bread, artificial cheese, vegan meat, ice cream, crackers, pizza crusts, cakes and chicken nuggets," he adds.
10. REDUCE STRESS
Stress increases the hormone cortisol in the blood, which causes a survival reaction, increasing appetite and blood sugar.
In response, more insulin is produced.
"That insulin blocks the leptin-signalling pathway in the brain, and the resulting leptin resistance causes the set-point to increase and subsequent weight gain, as your brain instructs your body to reach that new higher set-point by eating more and expending less energy," Dr Andrew says.
Working out, regular sleep, a healthy diet, simple breathing exercises and fasting are simple ways to reduce stress.
Why not try this simple breathing exercise, called cyclic sighing and pursed-lip breathing?
- Fill your lungs by taking in two sharp breaths through the nose.
- Purse your lips and breath out slowly.
- Repeat this way of breathing for five minutes to stimulate your vagus nerve and feel the wave of relaxation.
6
11. SLEEP IN THE DARK
Melatonin is the hormone produced by the tiny pineal glands at the back of the eyes in response to decreased light.
It promotes sleepiness at dusk and helps healthy sleep.
"Unfortunately, if you live in an environment where there is lots of artificial light, melatonin is not released in significant quantities to promote sleep," Dr Andrew says.
"Melatonin has a secondary effect of decreasing stress and cortisol.
"If melatonin is deficient (because of a lack of darkness), cortisol levels rise, insulin increases, and again you see a blockage of the leptin hormone in the brain; and because the leptin signal cannot be seen, weight increases along with the person’s weight set-point.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
"This is why weight gain commonly occurs after starting shift work, particularly night shifts."
How to Eat (And Still Lose Weight) by Dr Andrew Jenkinson: A Science-Backed Guide to Nutrition and Health, available on , is out now.
6
Topics