Submitted by: Jennifer B.

Q: How do I lose weight for the summer?

A: I am often asked this question this time of year. A better question would be how do I lose fat? This is an important and timely question because obesity is on the rise in the U.S. to the point of epidemic proportions. Worse yet, childhood obesity is now almost as high as adult obesity, and along with it all the related health conditions. The most notable of which is diabetes; it is not just "adult-onset" diabetes anymore.

The Standard American Diet (S.A.D.) is largely to blame. If you are reading this to get recommendations on the latest diet pill, go elsewhere, that is not what this is about. Fad diets, seductive advertising, and caloric restriction do not work because they do not take into account what Dr. Roger William referred to as "biochemical individuality." If these things worked, there would be no fat people. There is something else that needs to considered on an individual basis . . . metabolism. The major things that affect metabolic balance are stress, diet, exercise, and genetics.

Long-term stress can affect the metabolic rate by overworking the adrenal glands. The adrenal glands control hormones that help regulate fat burning. As discussed in previous articles, the glands and their associated hormones work like a great symphony in the body. Namely, when one instrument is off key, the entire symphony suffers. A common scenario in the body is when the adrenals get overworked, the thyroid and its associated hormones is affected. The affect is usually lowered thyroid hormone output leading to hypothyroidism which has as one of its major symptoms, increased fat deposition and weight gain. Statistically, only about 10% of hypothyroidism cases are primary hypothyroid, the other 90% are secondary to somewhere else in the symphony, usually the adrenals. Ironically, most cases of hypothyroidism are treated as primary by giving replacement pharmaceutical thyroid medication, providing only symptom management and not addressing the root-cause. Fortunately, the hormones of the body can easily be tested for and balanced with natural products and lifestyle recommendations. One of these lifestyle recommendations may be diet.

Contrary to popular belief, you need to eat to lose weight. Starving yourself is one of the worst things you can do. Not only does this cause a deficiency of many nutrients necessary for optimal health, but starvation will actually slow metabolism as a natural defense mechanism against famine, and cause the very thing you are trying to avoid. By feeding your metabolism with healthy, nutritious foods you will be helping your body burn more fat as energy. Some foods to consider would be vegetables (preferably organic), beans, fruits (preferably organic), whole grains (not refined processed grains), fish (preferably wild cold water fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring, halibut, etc.), meats (preferably hormone-free, antibiotic-free, organically-fed beef, turkey, lamb), nuts, and seeds. The following foods will contribute to fat storage: most bread, rolls, pasta, pancakes, refined cereal, muffins, crackers, chips, cookies, sweets, sugar, dairy, foods with nutri-sweet, and partially hydrogenated oils. We need to eat fat to burn fat but not all fats are created equally.

There has been a lot of literature lately about something called Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs). EFA's have been used clinically for a long time, but research is now substantiating what has been known empirically. EFAs are called "Essential" because our bodies do not make it and we cannot live without it. We have to get it from dietary sources or supplementation. Dietary fats come in several forms.

Saturated fats, primarily from animals, produce mostly toxic effects in the body, especially when consumed in excess. Partially hydrogenated vegetable oils are trans- fats, and they also produce mostly toxic effects in the body. As a matter of fact, read all the labels of everything you consume, and if it says, "shortening," "margarine," or "partially hydrogenated anything," throw it in the trash because it is terrible for your body. Saturated fats and partially hydrogenated fats contain arachidonic acid, which is a precursor to a hormone-like product in the body called prostaglandin 2. This prostaglandin of series 2 is pro-inflammatory in the body, and can potentially promote breast cancer. Omega-6 vegetable oils, such as corn, sunflower, soy, grain, and safflower, are essential in small amounts in the diet, but in excess will shunt from the anti-inflammatory prostaglandin 1, to the pro-inflammatory prostaglandin 2. Omega-9 vegetable oils, such as olive, are the best oil to cook with because it is a stable monounsaturated fat that does not easily denature in heat. Omega-3 oils, from flaxseeds, other seeds, fish, nuts and beans, is the precursor to the anti-inflammatory prostaglandin 3. These oils are polyunsaturated and are not good for cooking because they denature in just a little heat. Omega-3 fatty acids not only help prevent inflammation, but also immune and endocrine problems, and help prevent tumor formation. As we consume more of these good fats our bodies will use them as an efficient source of energy. When this is used as our fuel instead of sugar, we will begin to crave less sugar and more whole nutritious foods and oils. At any moment, whether you are sitting watching TV or you are playing tennis, 90% of your energy can be coming from burning fat or 90% of your energy can be from burning sugar. It depends on what you consume and what you do with your lifestyle, especially exercise.

Aerobic training is the most efficient way of burning fat. However, this activity must correlate with proper diet, nutrition and stress management. The following concepts in exercise are a combination of ideas and techniques from Dr. Phil Maffetone and separately from Dr. Michael Murray.

The better shape you are in physically, the greater your odds of enjoying a healthier and longer life. Most studies have shown that an unfit individual has an eight times greater risk of having a heart attack or stroke than a physically fit individual. Researchers have estimated that for every hour of exercise, there is a two-hour increase in longevity -- not a bad return on your investment.

To help you develop a successful exercise program; here are seven steps to follow.

Step 1. Recognize the Importance of Physical Exercise
We cannot stress enough just how vital regular exercise is to your health. But as much as we stress this fact, it means nothing unless it really sinks in and you accept it, too. You must make regular exercise a top priority in your life.

Step 2. Consult Your Physician
If you are not currently on a regular exercise program, get medical clearance if you have health problems or if you are over forty years of age.

Step 3. Select an Activity You Enjoy
The best choices are the activities that get your heart rate moving. Aerobic activities such as walking briskly, jogging, bicycling, cross-country skiing, swimming, aerobic dance, and racquet sports are good examples. Brisk walking for approximately thirty minutes may be the very best form of exercise for cardiovascular health and weight loss. Walking can be done anywhere, and the risk of injury is extremely low. It does not require any expensive equipment -- just comfortable clothing and well-fitting shoes.

Step 4. Monitor Exercise Intensity
Exercise intensity is determined by measuring your heart rate (the number of times your heart beats per minute). This determination is best accomplished using a heart rate monitor. A heart rate monitor can be purchased at any sport apparel store. For the greatest benefits, I recommend determining you maximum aerobic exercise heart rate. This can easily be accomplished using the 180-Formula, developed by Dr. Phil Maffetone.
1) Subtract your age from 180 (180 - age)
2) Modify this number by selecting one of the following categories:
a) If you have, or are recovering from, a major illness (heart disease, any operation, any hospital stay, etc.) or if you are in any regular medication, subtract 10. (- 10)
b) If you have not exercised before, or if you have been exercising but have been injured or are regressing in your efforts (not showing much improvement), or if you often get colds or a flu, or have allergies, subtract 5. ( - 5)
c) If you have been exercising for up to two years at least four times a week without any injury, and if have not had colds or flu more than once or twice a year, subtract 0. ( - 0)
d) If you have been exercising for more than two years without injury, have been making progress, and are a competitive athlete, add 5. ( + 5)

For example, if you are 30 years old and fit into Category b:
180 - 30 = 150 - 5 = 145 beats per minute.

Once you find your maximum aerobic heart rate, you conveniently make a range that is 10 beats below that number. Most heart rate monitors can be set for your range, providing you with an audible indication if your heart rate goes over or under your preset levels.

Step 5. Do It Often
You do not get good physical condition by exercising once; it must be done on a regular basis. A minimum of twenty to thirty minutes of exercising at your training heart rate at least 3 times a week is necessary to gain any significant cardiovascular benefits from exercise.

Step 6. Make it Fun
The key to getting the maximum benefit from exercise is to make it enjoyable. Choose an activity that you enjoy and have fun with. If you can find enjoyment in exercise, you are much more likely to exercise regularly. One way to make it fun is to get a workout partner.

Step 7. Stay Motivated
No matter how committed you are to regular exercise, at some point in time you are going to be faced with a loss of enthusiasm for working out. Here is a suggestion: take a break. Not a long break; just skip one or two workouts. It gives your enthusiasm and motivation a chance to recoup so that you can come back with an even stronger commitment. Other ways of staying motivated are setting exercise goals, varying your routine, and keeping a record of your activities and progress.

Finally, the last major factor that affects metabolism is genetics. This can be a whole topic unto itself. To put it simply, just because we are born with a genetic predisposition, does not mean we are guaranteed that fate. There are two important words in genetics to become familiar with: genotype and phenotype. We are born and hardwired with our genotype. But what we bathe our genotype in is what determines our phenotype. The phenotypic expression is what we see when we look in the mirror. If we eat junk, breathe junk, think junk, we will be junk. On the other hand, if we eat nutritious whole foods, exercise regularly, maintain healthy lifestyles, and have blissful thoughts we will see a very different person in the mirror. The information coming out of the Human Genome Project is not telling us how we are going to die, rather, it is telling us how we need to live.

In summary, take control of your stress, get your metabolic hormones evaluated, burn more fat by eating the proper foods and doing the correct aerobic exercise, and consider the following natural supplements to aid in fat-burning and metabolic balance. With the advancement of nutritional supplement technology there have been profound developments in natural formulations. The following supplements are effective naturally occurring metabolic activators, calming neurotransmitters, and natural cleansing detoxification compounds.

If you would like a personalized nutritional, lifestyle, and dietary protocol, please do not hesitate to set up a consultation.

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