Introduction (skip if you want):
From understanding the golden rule that weight loss is achieved through an overall energy deficit, one can realize weight loss will occur solely through concentration on nutrition and dieting (to reduce energy intake). This can seem like a simple enough rule to follow, but as everyone knows it is very difficulty to carry it out. Some minor reasons can be because of cravings for snack foods, improper knowledge of meal sizes and good nutrition, but the main reason for its difficulty is because if you eat less than your fill to create an energy deficit you will simply just remain hungry after your meal. Hunger is a powerful driving force that will inevitably cause you to continue eating until you reach your fill and sometimes even past it, resulting in your dieting attempt to be a complete failure.
The main idea of my dieting program is to help subjects reduce food intake by regulating hunger and appetite so one is naturally compelled to stop eating to achieve an energy deficit rather than relying solely alone on will power. It is important to understand that the human body is not designed to stop eating when it has consumed the required amount of calories (energy) needed for the day. What our body responds to limit food intake is the physical volume of foods eaten.
Know this:
My dieting program will teach you what to eat, when to eat and importantly how to eat. All the teachings will emphasize on behavioural modifications and specific nutrition choices which will help promote weight loss by reducing energy intake via two main methods:
- Primary Method: Controlling hunger and regulating appetite by providing and prolonging a feeling of “fullness” to eventually result in reduced food consumption
- Secondary Method: Impairing our body’s ability to absorb energy from the food we have eaten
- Satiations; it is a physical state when we have eaten as much as we could.
- Satiety; it is a state of mind when we become satisfied and no longer crave for food.
How does satiation work? Well think back to the last time you went to the buffet and ate an unbelievable quantity of food that was probably double or triple the amount of calories you really needed what was it that caused you to eventually stop eating? If you think carefully your stomach must have been greatly expanded, you probably began to have trouble breathing because you were so stuffed and eventually the continued intake of food would literally cause physically pain to your stomach and thus you must stop and that is called eating to the point of satiation.
How does saiety work? When you eat alot of the same food you lose the desire for to eat anymore, enough though you are not full yet. This is believed to be due to the areas in the brain controlling motivation and the reward value of food [105-108]. As well different foods cause varying degrees of Diet Induced Theromogensis which help increase satiety.
Learn This:
Dietary Fibre can be used to mimic the feeling of satiation to control food intake without consuming the excess calories that usually accompany reaching such a state. This is possible because fiber is unique in its ability to add bulk to a diet but not calories. This is because fibre cannot be broken down by the human digestive system for energy. Many observational studies and clinical trials [3, 4] have shown that higher fiber intake is associated with less weight gain than lower fiber intake. The proposed mechanisms (for fiber’s observed ability to assist in weight maintenance) are:
- Fibre's ability to add bulk to the diet and fill the stomach,
- Fibre's ability to delay gastric emptying (increase the amount of time foods stays in the stomach).
What to do:
Induce Satiation with behavioral changes that modify the order and temporal intake of food. It is not only important what you eat, but how you eat, and when you eat it!
How to induce Satiation:
Step 1: Before your meal time drink 2 cups of water
Wait 2 minutes
Step 2: Eat 1-3 servings of fruit (such as apple, pear, banana; that are lower in water content and higher in dietary fiber).
Optional: Eat one serving of salad (feel free to add dressing and cheese)
Wait 2 minutes
Step 3: At this point you will already feel full, if you choose to continue on to eat your main couse you will only be able to a greatly reduced amount.
Eat a meal that should look like this:
1/3 of the plate should be a lean source of protein, ¼ should be carbohydrates and the rest of the lates should be a source of vegetables. In step 3 is where we try to get you sated (reach a state of satiety).
References:
- Gray, J.I. 2006. Dietary fibre: Definition, Analysis, Physiology & Health. International Life Sciences Institute. ILSI Europe Concise Monograph Series. Brussels, Belgium.
- Leeds, A.R. 1987. Dietary fibre: mechanisms of action. Int. J. Obes. 11(Suppl 1): 3–7.
- Anderson JW. Dietary fiber and associated phytochemicals in prevention and reversal of diabetes. In: Pasupuleti VK, Anderson JW, eds. Nutraceuticals, Glycemic Health and Type 2 Diabetes. Ames, Iowa: Blackwell Publishing Professional; 2008:111–142.
- James W Anderson, Pat Baird, Richard H Davis Jr, Stefanie Ferreri, Mary Knudtson, Ashraf Koraym, Valerie Waters, and Christine L Williams. Health benefits of dietary fiber. Nutr Rev. 2009 Apr;67(4):188-205.
- Astrup A, Kristensen M, Gregersen NT, Belza A, Lorenzen JK, Due A, Larsen TM. Can bioactive foods affect obesity? Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2010 Mar;1190(1):25-41.
For your Scientific Interest (optional):
Implementing Secondary Method: Dietary Fibre can increase fecal energy loss
The viscosity of the chyme (semi-solid food mass in the stomach) is increased resulting in reduced mixing of the chyme and increased thickness of the unstirred water layer causing an impediment on the absorption of nutrients and energy from the chyme [1,2].
Dietary fiber has been known to increase fecal energy and fat excretion by 2-10%. The total amount of fat that escapes digestions is 1-4 g/day and the amount of energy excreted is 100-300Jk/day [5].
By Knowing:
1 calorie = 4.18 joules
1 gram of fat = 9 kcals
You can figure out that:
100 Jk/4.18 kcals = ~23.9 kcals
300 Jk/4.18 kcals = ~71.7 kcals
1 g x 9 kcals/g = 9 kcals
4 g x 9 kcals/g = 36 kcals
The total amount of energy loss due to dietary fiber ranges from: ~ 33 to 110 calories.
Why does an energy deficit lead to weight loss?
The key to weight loss is achieving an energy deficit, which can be attained solely by eating less food. The reason for this is because as long as you are in an energy deficit anything you eat will be converted into glucose and used up as energy. Additionally the body oxidizes its fat stores and (muscle) proteins for energy to compensate for the energy deficit, thus effectively resulting in weight loss.
There have been many different styles of dieting: low-carbs, low-fat, high carbs, high-fat, high-protein and honestly all research studies have shown they really have all the same results. Proteins, fats, and carbohydrates are macronutrients and specific macronutrients do not really enhance our weight loss or always turn into fat as the media and popular dieting programs have influenced the general public to believe.
Today you hear people fearing carbohydrates and fats because if you eat them they will instantaneously convert into fat in our body!!! Do you honestly believe that? That would sound absolutely absurd if one had any knowledge of how the human body worked.
For a quick review: The human body’s preferred energy source is carbohydrates (chains of glucose) which are stored in the liver and muscles for short-term energy storage as “glycogen”. The body can convert fats and proteins into glucose and used as energy if there is not enough energy supply in the body.
Fat accumulation occurs when there is so much food consumed that the glycogen stores become completely filled that the surplus energy are converted from its glucose form into fat and stored in adipose (fat) tissue. Fat is used essentially as a form of long-term energy storages that is saved for later in times of starvation. However in modern society, individuals will never experience starvation and instead continue to eat surplus energy diets. Thus resulting in constant weight gain
As long as we eat in accordance to our daily expenditures, all the carbohydrates, proteins, and fats we eat will be converted into glucose form via the body’s biochemical pathways and be used up as energy for our daily activities (and living). Now if we eat less than our daily expenditures, the body will break down fat in our body to compensate for the energy deficit.
However it is important not to go ahead a starve yourself to create an energy deficit because the body in response to starvation oxidizes (burns) not only fat but as well proteins for energy to survive. As well there are metabolic adaptations which will result in an eventual weight regain to a higher weight. As well the constant state of starvation can lead to muscle deterioration of not only skeletal muscles but organ muscles and lead to organ complications in extreme cases of anorexia.
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