| 
So you can get the most out of what
you eat, I have specific nutritional advice that I give to patients
– a sort of “the best of the best” list. This instruction is imperative
if you don’t plan on taking medication for weight loss. And even
if you will be using medication, excellent nutrition is still a
vital part of reaching your outcome.
First, I want you to change the way you think about food. Now that
you know the truth about dieting, stop using the word altogether.
I use terms like nourishment and nutritional
conditioning. Think of your food as fuel. It gives you energy; it
supports, repairs, and strengthens your body. Think of nourishing
yourself when you eat, of making yourself more powerful.
I find that when it comes to food, many
spend much of their energy focusing on what they can’t eat. Instead
of worrying over what you can’t eat, think of what you get to eat,
what you must eat to get your outcome. A good rule is to eat how
you can eat for the rest of your life.
Most of us have seen the food pyramid and
are familiar with the different kinds of foods, whether fruit, meats,
cereals, or dairy products. As I’ve stated, people are not overweight
because a lack of knowledge. They’re overweight because they are
bombarded with thousands of food choices and give in to their chemically
driven cravings despite the best of intentions.
The daily food requirements I recommend
are not some radical new menu. Rather, it’s well-established, common
sense nutrition. In it, complex carbohydrates make up the foundation,
being 40 to 50 percent of the daily intake. Complex carbohydrates
are a necessity for the body, lest your brain sense an oncoming
famine.
You need to consume at least 50 to 100 grams (400 calories) of complex
carbohydrates a day to prevent the breakdown of muscle mass and
to metabolize fat efficiently. Vegetables, fruits, sweet potatoes,
whole grain rice, pastas, and whole-grain breads are a good source
of complex carbohydrates.
While fruits are a source of simple sugars,
they are also a wonderful source of vitamins, phytochemicals, and
other agents that have been proven to reduce the risks of cancer.
Don’t eliminate them from your diet because of their sugar content.
Instead, limit other foods high in sugar that give you nothing nutritionally
in return.
Proteins should make up another 20 to 30
percent of your daily diet with meats like fish, poultry, and vegetable
like legumes. Another guideline is to eat 1 gram of protein per
kilogram of your body weight per day. (Limit red meats, eggs, and
dairy products. Also limit proteins if you have a history of gout
or kidney failure.)
The top of the food pyramid is fat, with
20 to 30 percent of your daily intake. Fats provide a concentrated
energy source, help control body temperature, delay the absorption
of sugar into the blood, and provide a means of absorbing fat-soluble
vitamins. Essential fatty acids supply omega 3 and 6 oils, which
actually protect the heart (as found in fish). In all, your total
daily intake should be at least 1,200 calories. To help prevent
hyperinsulinemia and insulin surges, I also recommend eating four
to six small meals a day rather than 2 to 3 large meals. Don’t skip
breakfast, even if you eat only fruit. Also, you should get less
than 300mg of cholesterol in your daily diet. Cholesterol is found
chiefly in animal products.
Drink more water. More than 70 percent of
the body is made of water. Our digestion depends on water. Absorption
of nutrients and vitamins also require water. Water is essential
for muscle growth. All the chemical reactions that sustain your
metabolism require water.
Get more fiber. Fiber lowers cholesterol,
makes you feel full, and interferes with insulin surges. It also
prevents constipation and colon cancer. You need 20 to 30 grams
of fiber a day.
Don’t go hungry. Hunger equals failure.
Eat when you’re hungry, quit when you’re full.
Another essential tool for maintaining good
nutrition, and a key strategy for permanent weight loss, is to keep
a food/mood diary. In this diary you write down every single thing
you eat or drink each day along with the mood you’re in at the time.
When I ask patients, “What’s the first thing
you think of when I say weight-loss?” the overwhelming
response is, “Diet – what can I eat, what can’t I eat?” People spend
most of their energy thinking about their input. But if you want
long-term success, what you eat (nutrition) should make up only
about 30 percent of the weight-loss formula. The other 70 percent
should come from what you burn (metabolism). In fact, when
the metabolic rate is accelerated, almost anything ingested will
be burned with very little stored as fat. |
