Why am I not losing weight?
I have been inspired to write this article because so many people I know are trying to lose weight but are just not losing what they expect to be losing. I have been there too. The reason could be simple. Having said that, however everybody is different. If you suffer from an underactive thyroid or a food intolerance this could also be a factor for not losing the kilos.
But let's start with basics.
Firstly you have to step back and look at the food you are eating. What most people think is reasonably healthy and low fat is, more often than not, the culprit for keeping on those kilos.
Firstly you have to step back and look at the food you are eating. What most people think is reasonably healthy and low fat is, more often than not, the culprit for keeping on those kilos.
Processed carbohydrates
Cut out bread from your life. Bread is one of the main causes for weight gain. The worst culprit, of course, is white bread – especially the ones with the long shelf life, but even those freshly made rolls or loaf that go stale the next day will add on the kilos. White bread has a very high glycemic index which means it is rapidly digested and causes substantial fluctuations in blood sugar which in turn can cause you to get fat. Glycemic index is the way food is measured on how it affects your blood sugar and insulin. The lower a food’s glycemic index, the less it affects blood sugar and insulin levels. Foods with a low glycemic index, like non starchy vegetables, quinoa and free range chicken, are digested more slowly, prompting a more gradual rise in blood sugar which means they do not cause you to get fat. Brown bread has a lower glycemic index, however if you want to lose weight it is still a big no. Most people have a some scale intolerance to wheat, yeast and gluten and the chances are that you do to.
Cut out bread from your life. Bread is one of the main causes for weight gain. The worst culprit, of course, is white bread – especially the ones with the long shelf life, but even those freshly made rolls or loaf that go stale the next day will add on the kilos. White bread has a very high glycemic index which means it is rapidly digested and causes substantial fluctuations in blood sugar which in turn can cause you to get fat. Glycemic index is the way food is measured on how it affects your blood sugar and insulin. The lower a food’s glycemic index, the less it affects blood sugar and insulin levels. Foods with a low glycemic index, like non starchy vegetables, quinoa and free range chicken, are digested more slowly, prompting a more gradual rise in blood sugar which means they do not cause you to get fat. Brown bread has a lower glycemic index, however if you want to lose weight it is still a big no. Most people have a some scale intolerance to wheat, yeast and gluten and the chances are that you do to.
Stop eating wheat pasta. If you are not on a diet, a 100/150 gram bowl of whole wheat, kamut or spelt pasta once a week would be fine but stay clear from white pasta; it is far too processed for your body to deal with. The glycemic index is super high and white flour is bleached with chemicals that we are not meant to be putting in our body. For more information on white flour check out Dr Mercola’s article.
If you really feel like a bowl of pasta when you are trying to lose weight, go for pasta made with brown rice flour, quinoa flour or buckwheat flour. Avoid corn flour as corn is higher on the GI scale and unless organic you risk eating a genetically modified product.
Avoid instant grains. Any grains in a packet that take a few minutes to cook will help to add the kilos. So no instant noodles, rice or oats, for example.
No refined starches. ‘Mr Mash’ is a refined starch and so is anything that has the word starch in like corn starch. Starch is made from glucose, a form of sugar. Although your body needs glucose, it actually gets plenty of it from other foods you eat. Your body does not need all the glucose from the starches you eat, excess is stored as glycogen in your liver and muscles and the remaining is converted to fat to store all around your body.
If you really feel like a bowl of pasta when you are trying to lose weight, go for pasta made with brown rice flour, quinoa flour or buckwheat flour. Avoid corn flour as corn is higher on the GI scale and unless organic you risk eating a genetically modified product.
Avoid instant grains. Any grains in a packet that take a few minutes to cook will help to add the kilos. So no instant noodles, rice or oats, for example.
No refined starches. ‘Mr Mash’ is a refined starch and so is anything that has the word starch in like corn starch. Starch is made from glucose, a form of sugar. Although your body needs glucose, it actually gets plenty of it from other foods you eat. Your body does not need all the glucose from the starches you eat, excess is stored as glycogen in your liver and muscles and the remaining is converted to fat to store all around your body.
Starchy Vegetables
Limit Starchy vegetables as much as possible. Potatoes have the highest amount of starch and the highest glycemic index out of all the vegetables. They were and still are the stable food for many cultures, however eating them on a regular basis is not healthy and will add the kilos. If you want to lose weight, avoid them!
Parsnip, pumpkin, sweet potatoes and green pees are quite high in starch too but it is perfectly fine to add these to your diet. Just don’t eat them everyday.
Try to avoid corn, unless organic.
Limit Starchy vegetables as much as possible. Potatoes have the highest amount of starch and the highest glycemic index out of all the vegetables. They were and still are the stable food for many cultures, however eating them on a regular basis is not healthy and will add the kilos. If you want to lose weight, avoid them!
Parsnip, pumpkin, sweet potatoes and green pees are quite high in starch too but it is perfectly fine to add these to your diet. Just don’t eat them everyday.
Try to avoid corn, unless organic.
Sugars
So you might have stopped adding sugar to your coffee but did you realise that sugar is in nearly everything you buy at a supermarket!
Get off the breakfast cereals. They are loaded with sugar! If you didn’t know this already, sugar just turns to fat. There are a plenty of other breakfast alternatives – oats, homemade granola with oats, nuts and seeds, but limit yourself on the dried fruit – use fresh fruit pieces instead, have a fresh smoothie which should include a little green like celery, spinach and kale, and add carrots. Be careful if you are buying a smoothie out – make sure they are not using ready-made mixes that could be full with sugar.
So you might have stopped adding sugar to your coffee but did you realise that sugar is in nearly everything you buy at a supermarket!
Get off the breakfast cereals. They are loaded with sugar! If you didn’t know this already, sugar just turns to fat. There are a plenty of other breakfast alternatives – oats, homemade granola with oats, nuts and seeds, but limit yourself on the dried fruit – use fresh fruit pieces instead, have a fresh smoothie which should include a little green like celery, spinach and kale, and add carrots. Be careful if you are buying a smoothie out – make sure they are not using ready-made mixes that could be full with sugar.
Stop drinking juice. Juice is full of sugar! If you buy a ready-made juice in a bottle of packet it is likely to have added sugar. If it says no added sugar but says fruit concentrate then there is your sugar. And don’t think that freshly made juice is any better. Once you take out the fibre then you are left with pure fructose. Nature gave us an apple, for example, which is nicely packed with vitamins, fibre and fructose which are meant to be had together. Fructose on its own equals fat.
If you would like to learn more about sugar check out this great documentary - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8eQ_8Jogcw
Cut out the alcohol. Besides harming your liver, alcohol is full of sugar and very fattening. It also has a tendency of increasing belly fat so even if you eat very healthily and look very slim but have a few glasses of an alcoholic beverage a night, you will probably find you still have a little belly. Try to limit your alcohol intake to a couple of nights a week and don’t binge. Try to aim for a glass of red wine, low carb beer or straight alcohol like a neat whisky on the rocks or gin with fresh lemon juice. Avoid the mixers – they are full of sugar – and steer clear of cocktails. If you are out with friends who are drinking space out your drink by drinking water with lemon juice in between.
Check the ingredients on packaged goods and tinned good. Sugar is also used as a preservative so it is in most packaged products you buy at the supermarket. It also comes in many forms. Click here to find out the different types of sugar.
No chocolates or sweets.
A couple of small squares of dark chocolate with very little added sugar is okay as a little treat but try and buy chocolate with natural sugars such as honey, stevia, xytol and maple syrup, but remember – as natural as they may be they are still types of sugar. Avoid milk chocolate and steer clear of white chocolate.
Low fat equals high fat. Low fat products are usually full of sugar because something needs to make them taste good. Moreover your body needs some fat and if it doesn’t get it then it starts to turn excess carbohydrates, especially in the form of fructose, into fat and this then causes your blood triglycerides to rise which increases your risk of cardiovascular disease.
Think back to your grandparents or great grandparents, depending how old you are. The chances are they had a high fat diet. Did they have diabetes; were they obese; did they die of heart disease? The answer is likely no! These are all illnesses which are the epidemics of the last 50 years. In the 70’s fat got a bad reputation and was replaced by sugar. Today carbohydrates, and I am not talking about vegetables, have become the food group people eat the most of and that equals sugar.
If you would like to learn more about sugar check out this great documentary - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8eQ_8Jogcw
Cut out the alcohol. Besides harming your liver, alcohol is full of sugar and very fattening. It also has a tendency of increasing belly fat so even if you eat very healthily and look very slim but have a few glasses of an alcoholic beverage a night, you will probably find you still have a little belly. Try to limit your alcohol intake to a couple of nights a week and don’t binge. Try to aim for a glass of red wine, low carb beer or straight alcohol like a neat whisky on the rocks or gin with fresh lemon juice. Avoid the mixers – they are full of sugar – and steer clear of cocktails. If you are out with friends who are drinking space out your drink by drinking water with lemon juice in between.
Check the ingredients on packaged goods and tinned good. Sugar is also used as a preservative so it is in most packaged products you buy at the supermarket. It also comes in many forms. Click here to find out the different types of sugar.
No chocolates or sweets.
A couple of small squares of dark chocolate with very little added sugar is okay as a little treat but try and buy chocolate with natural sugars such as honey, stevia, xytol and maple syrup, but remember – as natural as they may be they are still types of sugar. Avoid milk chocolate and steer clear of white chocolate.
Low fat equals high fat. Low fat products are usually full of sugar because something needs to make them taste good. Moreover your body needs some fat and if it doesn’t get it then it starts to turn excess carbohydrates, especially in the form of fructose, into fat and this then causes your blood triglycerides to rise which increases your risk of cardiovascular disease.
Think back to your grandparents or great grandparents, depending how old you are. The chances are they had a high fat diet. Did they have diabetes; were they obese; did they die of heart disease? The answer is likely no! These are all illnesses which are the epidemics of the last 50 years. In the 70’s fat got a bad reputation and was replaced by sugar. Today carbohydrates, and I am not talking about vegetables, have become the food group people eat the most of and that equals sugar.
Swap white rice for brown rice
White rice goes through a process as it has its outer shell removed and in this process a lot of the natural vitamins and minerals are stripped away. You also have to know that cheap white rice sometimes gets bleached like white flour. Brown rice is highly nutritious and full of fibre which helps you have a good metabolism. It is also low GI (Gycemic Index) while white rice is rather high GI. Having said this however, I am far from against white rice. Asians have been eating white rice for centuries and have done pretty well on it but you have to think about the rest of their diet – lots of fresh vegetables and fruit and very little other grains. The outer shell of the grain was removed by pounding the grain so some nutrients remained, however now it is removed with machinery.
White rice goes through a process as it has its outer shell removed and in this process a lot of the natural vitamins and minerals are stripped away. You also have to know that cheap white rice sometimes gets bleached like white flour. Brown rice is highly nutritious and full of fibre which helps you have a good metabolism. It is also low GI (Gycemic Index) while white rice is rather high GI. Having said this however, I am far from against white rice. Asians have been eating white rice for centuries and have done pretty well on it but you have to think about the rest of their diet – lots of fresh vegetables and fruit and very little other grains. The outer shell of the grain was removed by pounding the grain so some nutrients remained, however now it is removed with machinery.
Ease off on the dairy
If you are not vegan and don’t have a dairy intolerance then you probably eat dairy. There are many thoughts on dairy – one being that humans are the only member of the animal kingdom that consumes milk as adults and the only one that consumes milk from another animal. However, if you can’t live without it, then you can have a little cheese or natural yoghurt or kefir a few times a week. Avoid cheddar and other heavy cheeses. Opt for goat’s cheese, such as Chevrolet, feta and kefilatori. Other cheeses that are lower in fat are ricotta, Swiss cheese and Mozzarella. Small portions are key.
If you are not vegan and don’t have a dairy intolerance then you probably eat dairy. There are many thoughts on dairy – one being that humans are the only member of the animal kingdom that consumes milk as adults and the only one that consumes milk from another animal. However, if you can’t live without it, then you can have a little cheese or natural yoghurt or kefir a few times a week. Avoid cheddar and other heavy cheeses. Opt for goat’s cheese, such as Chevrolet, feta and kefilatori. Other cheeses that are lower in fat are ricotta, Swiss cheese and Mozzarella. Small portions are key.
So what should you do?
Cut down on your portions. We eat far too much. It is far healthier to eat less, allowing your body to digest the food slowly.
Detox. Think back to when we were hunter gatherers. We would go for hours upon end without food. If you are a reasonably healthy human, don’t suffer from low blood pressure, diabetes or any other form of illness, where you need to eat very regularly, and you are not over 70, then you should try fasting. Try a 16 hour fast daily for a few weeks where you don’t eat from 8.00 at night until 12.00 midday the next day. This allows your body to detox and get rid of excess glucose build up which turns into fat. Drink plenty of water and herbal teas. Try making your first meal at midday a smoothie - full of fruit, leafy greens and celery. Once you have mastered this, try a five day low intensity detox or a three days medium intensity detox.
Eat plenty of Leafy greens (preferably organic). They are a vital source of antioxidants that are very beneficial to helping weight loss. This is due to their large number of phytochemicals which help in the smooth running of our bodies as well as acting as a prevention against heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer. They are also full of fibre, which you know helps boost your metabolism, and full of vitamins and minerals. Add leafy green to your smoothie and make one meal a salad full of leafy greens. Remember the darker the leaf, the better.
Eat more broccoli and cauliflower. Cruciferous vegetables are extremely good for you in so many ways but they are also a great food to aid with weight loss. They are high in fibre and low in calories. You can eat a large portion of broccoli and cauliflower with no weight gaining consequences and still feel full. Fibre absorbs water and therefore expands and makes you feel full. Fiber delays the secretion of ghrelin, a hormone that makes you feel hungry, and it prevents blood sugar from rising by slowing down absorption of glucose. Remember fast absorption of glucose means that it gets stored in your fat cells.
The best way to eat broccoli and cauliflower to eat it raw or to steam it. But if you really can’t bear the thought of eating broccoli and cauliflower then make a soup and liquidise it - better than nothing!
Add celery to your diet. Celery contains a myriad of nutrients – especially phytochemicals. Eating celery can help protect the digestive tract and liver, preventing the buildup of toxins which can cause unnatural body functions causing you to store fat. For more information on the benefits of celery click here.
Make Quinoa and Buckwheat a part of your life. Quinoa is high in protein, iron, pyridoxine (vitamin B6), thiamine (B1), niacin (B3), folic acid (B9) calcium, magnesium, copper and manganese. Buckwheat has slightly less nutrients but is high in protein, iron, thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2) pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) and folic acid (B9). It is a better source of magnesium than quinoa and a slightly better of than iron. It also contains more carbohydrates but remember the carbohydrate in buckwheat is a complex carb and it is low GI and high in fibre, so buckwheat makes a perfect grain to eat.
Quinoa and buckwheat contain high amounts of protein but most importantly they contain all the amino acids so they are two of the very few non animal forms of protein that are a complete protein.
They are both low in fat but if you on a really strict low fat diet, I suggest you opt to have buckwheat at lunch time. Quinoa is good to be eaten for both lunch and dinner.
Eat good fats. Bananas are a great source of good fat and potassium but don’t eat one every day – try and mix up your good fats a little. Alternate between banana, avocado, nuts and seeds. Avocados are truly a super-food and can be a great aid in weight loss. Remember we need some fat and you can’t get a much healthier fat than that found in avocado. To find out more about what avocados contain click here.
Eat lean protein like fish and free range chicken and if you are vegetarian/vegan, eat lentils and quinoa.
Eat fruit in the morning or early afternoon. Good fruit to have when on a diet are grapefruit, apples and melon ( - eat melon alone - not with other food).
Drink apple cider vinegar (preferably organic), diluted with a little water first thing in the morning.
Drink more water.
Drink water with lemon.
Drink plenty of green tea.
Always eat real food – avoid anything packaged.
Don't stress - stress produces a hormone called cortisol which causes higher insulin levels which means your blood sugar drops and you crave sugary, fatty foods.
Exercise at least 30 minutes a day. Try different types of exercise on different days – cardio, yoga, weights.
And last but not least, find balance in all you do.
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If you have any questions or want any specific advise, you can contact me on [email protected]
Cut down on your portions. We eat far too much. It is far healthier to eat less, allowing your body to digest the food slowly.
Detox. Think back to when we were hunter gatherers. We would go for hours upon end without food. If you are a reasonably healthy human, don’t suffer from low blood pressure, diabetes or any other form of illness, where you need to eat very regularly, and you are not over 70, then you should try fasting. Try a 16 hour fast daily for a few weeks where you don’t eat from 8.00 at night until 12.00 midday the next day. This allows your body to detox and get rid of excess glucose build up which turns into fat. Drink plenty of water and herbal teas. Try making your first meal at midday a smoothie - full of fruit, leafy greens and celery. Once you have mastered this, try a five day low intensity detox or a three days medium intensity detox.
Eat plenty of Leafy greens (preferably organic). They are a vital source of antioxidants that are very beneficial to helping weight loss. This is due to their large number of phytochemicals which help in the smooth running of our bodies as well as acting as a prevention against heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer. They are also full of fibre, which you know helps boost your metabolism, and full of vitamins and minerals. Add leafy green to your smoothie and make one meal a salad full of leafy greens. Remember the darker the leaf, the better.
Eat more broccoli and cauliflower. Cruciferous vegetables are extremely good for you in so many ways but they are also a great food to aid with weight loss. They are high in fibre and low in calories. You can eat a large portion of broccoli and cauliflower with no weight gaining consequences and still feel full. Fibre absorbs water and therefore expands and makes you feel full. Fiber delays the secretion of ghrelin, a hormone that makes you feel hungry, and it prevents blood sugar from rising by slowing down absorption of glucose. Remember fast absorption of glucose means that it gets stored in your fat cells.
The best way to eat broccoli and cauliflower to eat it raw or to steam it. But if you really can’t bear the thought of eating broccoli and cauliflower then make a soup and liquidise it - better than nothing!
Add celery to your diet. Celery contains a myriad of nutrients – especially phytochemicals. Eating celery can help protect the digestive tract and liver, preventing the buildup of toxins which can cause unnatural body functions causing you to store fat. For more information on the benefits of celery click here.
Make Quinoa and Buckwheat a part of your life. Quinoa is high in protein, iron, pyridoxine (vitamin B6), thiamine (B1), niacin (B3), folic acid (B9) calcium, magnesium, copper and manganese. Buckwheat has slightly less nutrients but is high in protein, iron, thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2) pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) and folic acid (B9). It is a better source of magnesium than quinoa and a slightly better of than iron. It also contains more carbohydrates but remember the carbohydrate in buckwheat is a complex carb and it is low GI and high in fibre, so buckwheat makes a perfect grain to eat.
Quinoa and buckwheat contain high amounts of protein but most importantly they contain all the amino acids so they are two of the very few non animal forms of protein that are a complete protein.
They are both low in fat but if you on a really strict low fat diet, I suggest you opt to have buckwheat at lunch time. Quinoa is good to be eaten for both lunch and dinner.
Eat good fats. Bananas are a great source of good fat and potassium but don’t eat one every day – try and mix up your good fats a little. Alternate between banana, avocado, nuts and seeds. Avocados are truly a super-food and can be a great aid in weight loss. Remember we need some fat and you can’t get a much healthier fat than that found in avocado. To find out more about what avocados contain click here.
Eat lean protein like fish and free range chicken and if you are vegetarian/vegan, eat lentils and quinoa.
Eat fruit in the morning or early afternoon. Good fruit to have when on a diet are grapefruit, apples and melon ( - eat melon alone - not with other food).
Drink apple cider vinegar (preferably organic), diluted with a little water first thing in the morning.
Drink more water.
Drink water with lemon.
Drink plenty of green tea.
Always eat real food – avoid anything packaged.
Don't stress - stress produces a hormone called cortisol which causes higher insulin levels which means your blood sugar drops and you crave sugary, fatty foods.
Exercise at least 30 minutes a day. Try different types of exercise on different days – cardio, yoga, weights.
And last but not least, find balance in all you do.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you have any questions or want any specific advise, you can contact me on [email protected]