Newsletter
Quote: “In order to be wealthy, you must be healthy”
Eat more weight to lose more weight.
With summer in full swing and clothing being less and less, fat loss seems to be ever more so of a concern for the majority of people. However, many times what we do quickly on the go or in the hot summer days can have a detrimental impact on our ability to sustain or lose fat. Numerous studies have shown that our bodies feel fuller and have a higher level of satiety with higher weight foods compared to just calories. So even though one may choose “low calorie” foods such as: pretzels, crackers, rice cakes, etc. the body will not register the feeling of fullness to the brain until a lot of light weighing foods like crackers etc.. are eaten to qualify more weight in the stomach to register to the brain that feeling of fullness. For example, take a water dense food like an orange hold it in your hand and compare it to 10 “low calorie” crackers both can be equivalent to “100” calories but the body will not feel satisfied with the 10 crackers the same way it will with the heavier water filled orange. The calories are the same but the weight is much different. The end result will be consuming more calories through the lighter weight foods such as “crackers” to have that desired effect of fullness one would achieve with the orange. Foods that are weight dense and lessened in calories are fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and whole wheat’s.
All of these weigh more and are denser with fiber which has been shown to slow down the digestion of the food helping you feel fuller longer.
In one study subjects who ate 14g of fiber per day were associated with a 10% decrease in total calorie consumption in their daily intake. This resulted in a 12lb weight loss in one year, just from an increase in fiber intake! Protein has also demonstrated to have more of a satiety effect on calorie consumption, so maintaining an adequate protein intake can help lessen one’s total calorie consumption on a daily basis.
One effective way to decrease your calorie intake and sustain your feeling of fullness with out feeling hungry is adding whole grains, fruits and veggies to your meals and snacks daily. This truly does work and studies support it but implementing this will only work successfully with weight loss if done daily. One way to start is by adding whole wheat instead of white or processed white flour. This will be a good first step to helping you get more nutrients and feel fuller with less calories. Make sure the whole wheat choices list their first ingredient saying “whole wheat or whole grain” if it starts with any thing else it is not higher in fiber and is processed. For ex. “enriched wheat flour” is just one way the food manufactures rob us of nutrients and fill their pockets with more profits. Adding fruits and veggies to your meals in abundance will help curtail your calorie consumption and not leave you feeling hungry. Planning ahead for any and all obstacles you may encounter will be one of your best bets to keep your blood sugar regulated and your calories going in on the positive. If you prepare snacks and meals ahead of time or know of healthy choice eating out options this can have a beneficial impact on regulating your calories successfully on the go to avoid being hungry and feeling in a jam. Done regularly this can make all the difference from avoiding being ravenous and grabbing anything in site and usually choosing unhealthy choices when you are unprepared.
Remember, plan ahead choose lots of whole wheat’s’/grains, fruits and veggies with your meals and snacks and think lots of heavy weight food to lose weight and feel full.
By:
JD Reber
MS & BS Exercise Science and Health promotion,
CSCS & NASM- CPT
Selected References:
Rolls B J., Kral V.E. T., National Strength and Conditioning Association vol 24, 3 pgs. 65-67. 2002
Bell, E.A., V.H. Castellanos, C.L. Pelkman, M.L. Thorwart, Rolls B J. Energy density of foods affected energy intake in normal weight women. Am J. Clin. Nutr. 67:412-420. 1998
Doucet E, Tremblay A. Food intake, energy balance and body weight control. Eur. J. Clin. Nutr. 51:846-855. 1997
Hensrud D D, Mayo clinic on healthy weight. Rochester, MN: Mayo foundation for medical education and research. 2000
Poppitt S D, Prentice A M, Energy density and its role in the control of food intake: Evidence from metabolic and community studies. Appetite. 26: 153-174. 1996