Losing the Holiday Weight
by Ruth Galbraith, ND
It’s the annual problem, the gift that keeps on giving, the ‘expansion of our assets.’ We indulge a little too much during the holidays, which now span from Halloween in October, through Valentine’s Day in February. However you celebrate, even if you don’t celebrate, there always seems to be an abundance of sugary, calorie-laden treats in attendance, and before we know it, we’ve added 10 pounds.
What’s the answer? How do we lose the weight and keep it off? There are literally thousands of diets on the market. Some are downright dangerous; others simply don’t work because they aren’t realistic. Some are so restrictive, no one can stick with them for long.
From the perspective of a Naturopathic Doctor who is trained extensively in nutrition, diet and lifestyle modification, here are 10 key changes you can make which will guarantee that you are eating more healthily in 2008.
1) Eat as close to nature as possible. By this I mean: cut out the processed, refined foods and replace them with those that are eaten in a form closest to how they are found in nature. For example, rather than processed cold cereal with sugars, colors, and other additives, eat oatmeal, which is high in natural, heart-healthy fiber. Sweeten it with raisins, or black strap molasses, rich in iron, calcium, potassium and magnesium.by Ruth Galbraith, ND
2) Never, never skip breakfast. This is the most important meal of the day. Look at it this way: you’ve just fasted for 8-12 hours, while you were sleeping. You wouldn’t make your cat go another 6 hours without food, would you? There is a wise saying: Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper. If you don’t feed your body regularly, the body thinks it’s starving and metabolism slows down. Over time, in addition to storing energy in the form of fat, more toxins build up, your performance becomes sluggish, and your thinking grows foggy.
3) Eat the colors of the rainbow. If you look down at your plate and see mostly shades of white and brown, you are not getting all the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients your body needs. Aside from being pretty, different colors tell you that different vitamins and minerals are contained in various produce. Orange and yellow fruits and vegetables contain carotenoids, an important antioxidant; dark leafy green vegetables are rich in vitamins A, C, and K, as well as iron and calcium. Red fruits, most notably tomatoes, are rich in lycopene, important for prostate health and helpful in exercise-induced asthma; purple fruits like blueberries and black cherries contain flavonoids, which are important to help maintain blood vessel integrity for a healthy cardiovascular system. These are just 4 of hundreds of reasons why we all need 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
4) Focus on digestion. In naturopathic medicine, we know that digestion is central to optimal health. If you’re not metabolizing the food you take in, you’re not getting the nutrition your body needs, nor are you properly eliminating the toxins every body produces daily. Good digestive health means you don’t suffer from heartburn, indigestion, reflux, stomach ulcers, abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, constipation or hemorrhoids. If you experience any of these symptoms, your digestive health is not optimal, and often very simple changes in diet or lifestyle can resolve the problem quickly. Remember, masking the symptoms is not the same as treating them!
5) Take care of your liver. The liver is a major focus for NDs, and for good reason! The liver detoxifies most of what enters your body, and is an important organ in digestive health. A sluggish liver, like a sluggish digestive system, can contribute to retention of toxic wastes that should be leaving the body daily. Beets, turmeric, artichokes and garlic are all great liver foods. Adding a generous portion of these foods to your daily meals will help your liver function optimally. There are many herbal medicines and other nutritional supplements that aid the liver in its central role in your health.
6) Build lean muscle mass. Muscle burns calories faster, so if you want to tone up and slim down, get to the gym at least 3 times a week, and don’t spend all your time on the cardio equipment. Even light weight training will begin to build those muscles that will help you maintain your ideal weight and body fat. If you prefer, exercise at home. Free weights can be purchased inexpensively at many sports and department stores.
7) Find an exercise program that works for you. If you won’t use it, there’s no point in spending money on a gym membership or home exercise equipment. Keep in mind that benefit is seen with as little as 20 minutes of exercise a day, and this need not be all at one go. If all you are able to do is walk around the block twice a day, that’s a great start!
8) Know when to eat organic. Of course, the best option is to make sure everything that goes into your mouth is organic. However, if your grocery dollar is stretched thin, check out http://www.foodnews.org/ to view the produce with the highest pesticide loads, and those with the lowest. Spend your organic dollars on those items like peaches, apples and bell peppers, which top the list, and know that you can feel safer feeding your family conventionally grown bananas, avocadoes and broccoli, which are near the bottom of the list.
9) Balance your hormones. This may sound like an odd way to lose weight, but my naturopathic medical colleagues and I have seen dramatic weight loss occur when proper testing and treatment put out-of-balance hormones back to optimum levels. This includes what we think of as ‘male’ and ‘female’ hormones, as well as thyroid, insulin, vitamin D (yes, it’s a hormone!) and others.
10) Don’t ignore the basics. Proper rest, plenty of water, and a satisfying family life are all part of a healthier you. If your sleep is poor, your body may not be able to do the detoxifying and tissue repair it needs to while you sleep. Water, that simple molecule, is involved in all major biochemical reactions in your body; without proper hydration, these reactions cannot occur; fatigue is one of the first symptoms of dehydration. And the stresses of an unhappy family life can take their toll in many ways. If you feel unable to repair the stressful relationships you’re in, perhaps you could use another perspective. Often, counseling can help you see simple solutions you were too stressed to think of yourself.