In this blog series we’ve been discussing some of the most overlooked reasons you may be hitting a fat loss plateau or not losing weight. Today we are going to discuss diet imbalances.

First, I usually don’t like to use the word “diet” when discussing this topic because it implies calorie restriction or changing your nutrition temporarily. My preference is to use nutrition versus diet.

You might be saying, “Pete this is being pretty picky. What difference is this going to make for me losing weight or not losing weight?” It actually can make a big difference because it’s a state of mind. It’s your point of view and how you see food mentally.

Most people I know that have good nutritional habits look at food differently than those who don’t. People that have good nutritional habits tend to look at food as fuel or energy. They don’t diet. They don’t look at food as the most important thing in their day. They don’t use it as emotional comfort. They don’t use it as a reward. They don’t think they “deserve” food after a hard day’s work.

This doesn’t mean these same people don’t enjoy food. They just don’t make the enjoyment of food the most important event of the day. They see food as something that is needed to be healthy and effectively do other things in their day that are of greater importance to them.
People who see food as fuel, energy and a necessity don’t “diet.” They change their nutritional selections in order to increase or decrease their weight.

The quality of your food, not just quantity makes a big difference in achieving your fat loss goals. I have consulted with many people who tell me, “Pete, I already eat healthy. There is no need for me to participate in your nutritional program.” Their assumption is they will only need the exercise program.

Unfortunately, many people think they are eating healthy, but after further diagnoses they discover they are not. This can be for two reasons. First, their education about healthy food is inaccurate. Second, food companies have very deceptive marketing and people get tricked into believing they are eating healthy.

However, even if a client is eating healthy, they may not be eating to support fat loss. Let me give you an example:
Let’s say you wake up in the morning and have a bowl of Wheat Flakes with milk and a glass of orange juice. This is a healthy breakfast right? But does it support your fat loss goals? If you look at your body’s hormonal response to this breakfast you may be surprised.

There are three macronutrients most people are aware of: proteins, fats and carbohydrates. The combination of these macronutrients has a significant effect on your body’s hormonal responses and fat loss. If we look at the breakfast described you will discover this breakfast may be healthier than bacon, eggs and a donut, but it won’t help you lose those extra pounds.

Let’s look at each of the breakfast foods described above. First, the Wheat Flakes is almost 100% carbohydrates. The milk has very little protein and is practically all sugar. Most people won’t argue that milk contains a lot of Lactose. Lactose is a form of sugar. Anything ending with ‘ose’ is a form of sugar (sucrose, fructose, etc.). Yes, milk is not the best option if you want to lose fat. I know this is going to throw some people off their rocker. I’ve had people go bananas over this in my seminars before, but it’s the truth. Lastly, let’s look at the content of orange juice. Yes, this is practically all sugar as well. If you don’t believe me look at the nutrition label of a bottle of orange juice and hold it side by side with a Coke. I think you’ll be shocked!

This healthy breakfast we have been breaking down is all carbohydrates. Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not advocating carbohydrates are the devil like some would have you believe. Carbohydrates are an essential macronutrient especially when you are exercising often. The problem with this breakfast is it contains a lot of simple carbohydrates, which in many cases is sugar. It also doesn’t contain any protein. In short, the macronutrients are not in balance, thus creating an unsupportive physiological environment for fat loss.

Meals high in simple carbohydrates will stimulate high levels of insulin and put the body into a fat storing state. If we are trying to lose fat we want to keep the body in a fat burning state all day. The best way to do this is by controlling your insulin levels. Yes, in some cases people simply need to eat less, but in many cases people are not eating enough.

There are two scenarios I typically see. First, there is the person who simply cuts their calories too low or is following one of a hundred restricted calorie diets. The second case is what I call the American Epidemic. This is the person who only eats two meals a day. Either scenario has terrible consequences to your fat loss goals.

The best strategies to control insulin levels and keep them steady through the day is to have a balance of carbohydrates, fats and proteins in every meal or snack you eat. In our nutrition program we teach our clients easy ways to get the right percentage of each without counting grams or other tedious methods. There is an easy way to do this. You also want to make sure the quality of carbohydrates, fats and proteins support your goal as well. This is a whole other topic that will have to be covered in the future.

The second way to control insulin is by implementing frequent small meals throughout the day. Just ask a diabetic. It’s why frequent meals are important for them. They are living proof this works to control insulin.

Not only will these two strategies stabilize insulin for an optimal fat releasing environment, but it will also improve your energy, mental alertness and control your appetite so you don’t over eat. Many people will reach for a coffee when their energy is low, when in reality their energy is low because they have not eaten in awhile.

The second component of nutritional imbalances that affect fat loss is low calorie dieting. This is the most common mistake I see. Many people restrict their calories too low, creating a series of events that inhibit fat loss.

This is one of the most difficult concepts for people to understand because for years people have been told to eat less to lose weight.

What’s important to understand is that your body perceives any extended period of time without nutrients as a form of starvation. This perceived starvation causes a series of physiological responses necessary for the body to preserve and protect itself. It doesn’t require days of starvation for this physiological response to kick in. It can occur when you haven’t eaten in 4 or 5 hours. Obviously, the longer the period of time or lower amounts of calories the greater the physiological response.

This self preservation tends to decrease your metabolism or the rate at which your body uses energy and creates heat. It also wants to store excess energy as fat for a rainier day. First, your body will create a surge in an enzyme called Lipo Protein Lipase. The sole job of this enzyme is to store calories as body fat. Second, your Thyroid Hormone production will decrease, thus decreasing your metabolic rate. It does this to conserve energy and control your body’s heat production.

If we look at the American Epidemic scenario, you will see how important this is. This person may eat breakfast, but doesn’t eat the rest of the day until dinner. Throughout the day the body’s metabolism decreases and surges of Lipo Protein Lipase are released. Now this individual will go home and eat a large dinner because they are starving after not eating all day. Not eating all day not only causes over eating, but now many of these calories are more readily stored as fat with the presence of Lipo Protein Lipase being so high. This person has essentially created a fat storing machine and can’t figure out why they gain weight, when “they don’t eat.”

The solution to creating balanced nutrition and an optimal state for fat loss is to eat 5 frequent meals/snacks every 3-3 ½ hours with a balance of good proteins, fats and carbohydrates. No gimmicks, no fads and no starving. It really is simpler than you think! This is assuming you know the other 7 Reasons You Are Not Losing Weight.

Thank you for the opportunity to lead your through the health and fitness maze.

By: Pete Piranio