Christmas Diet part 2: Appetite Control

In my last article I discussed the regulation of sugar to halt the insulin spike in the body for Christmas.

The aim of the previous article and this one is to change behaviour and to stop purely basing weight control on calorie counting. I’d like to expand on the notion of balancing the macro-nutrients of your plate without focusing solely on calorific content.

 The 40-30-30 principle is difficult to follow not because of the ease of its method but because of the misunderstanding of its benefits. The core of the 40-30-30 Plan is to ensure that all meals and snacks are balanced in composition. At any one meal, you should consume 40 percent of your meal from carbohydrates, 30 percent of your meal from protein sources, and 30 percent of the meal from fats. By performing this you will adequately fuel your body while regulating the blood sugar and the appetite, meaning willpower is no longer an issue.

Carbohydrates
Your primary sources for carbohydrates should be fruit and vegetables. Certain items, like bananas and watermelon, are restricted for their excess sugar content, but almost everything else is good. Whole grains and dairy should be heavily restricted with no white bread or rice, so although you are consuming the bulk of your calories from carbohydrates, this is hardly a high carbohydrate plan.

Allowed Protein Sources
All protein sources should be as lean as possible. Avoid saturated fat-laden protein sources like fatty beef and other red meats. Recommended protein sources for an individual include skinless chicken, egg whites, tofu and fish.

Allowed Fat Sources
The final 30 percent of your calories must come from fat, which is perhaps the trickiest macronutrient to effectively manage. Remember that fat contained within your protein source counts against your total for the meal, so be sure to adjust accordingly. Round out the meal with healthy fats like avocados, almonds or olive oil. Fish oil is also a good choice for increasing levels of heart-healthy omega-3 fats.

The outcome for the person eating this meal/snack is that the blood sugar fails to spike. The results in no insulin being released into the bloodstream and hence no sugar crash approximately 60 minutes later, resulting in the lethargy that causes the body wanting another quick energy fix.

If you were to base your diet purely on calories insulin release would almost certainly occur. An example would be consuming a slice of white bread with marmalade for breakfast. This is almost 100% carbohydrate with little to no fibre, hence although it may only contain 150 calories, the insulin release would be high causing the body to retain body fat and make the person lethargic an hour later, resulting in poor concentration and low energy- Classic signs of Elevenses and the need for another sugary snack and caffeine intake. This merely causes the same physiological reaction an hour later resulting in lethargy and the need for quick energy at lunch-time.

My most recent success has now lost 13lbs in body-fat in 9 weeks by following this simple principle. She found it easy to do because it was 100% food education meaning her lifestyle has not changed massively hence, no obsessive gym attending

If you finally want to become your ideal weight and keep it off why not step out of your comfort zone and call Tom Irvine on 07766 690 036