Health Tip 1 Exercise for weight management and Foggy Brain Syndrome
Health Tip 1Exercise for weight maintenance:
If you exercise for weight maintenance, you need to be aware that the last sprint you do at the end of your session stops fat burning immediately. Fat burning is an aerobic process, which means you need sufficient oxygen to keep the fat-burning process going. A sprint or other high-intensity exercise depletes your body of oxygen and forces it to use other, non-fat burning energy processes, to fuel the exercise.
Glucose, the end product of carbohydrate breakdown (from grains and starches, fruit and vegetables), is our body's predominate energy source. When blood glucose levels fall, the body switches to the next best energy source, fats. Fats are very energy rich, but the body's cells need oxygen to metabolise them.
This is why prolonged aerobic activity – exercise at a level where you can still talk to the person next to you, (heart rate between 110 and 120 for the younger age group) – is best for fat burning. Power walking and swimming are ideal aerobic exercises.
Did you know, refraining from eating for another 15-20 minutes after exercise will allow fat burning to continue for another 45 minutes? That way you get 90 minutes of fat burning out of each 45 minutes you exercise – bargain of the month!
If you do need to eat, then make that food in the 1:1:1 caloric ratios of carbs, proteins and fats; i.e. the zonal approach.
Health Tip number 2
Do you feel you cannot concentrate an hour or so after lunch? Do you need a ‘siesta' after your lunch?
This happens when your blood sugar level drops too low to maintain normal waking function. When this happens too often you may be in trouble, not just with your boss for not being productive, but also with your own body as you are setting yourself up for the onset of Insulin Resistance and eventually Diabetes type II (the non-insulin-injectable type of diabetes).
As you may well know Insulin sets up the mechanism that creates the "doorways" so the glucose from your circulatory system can enter into your cells. Glucose is the main energy during waking hours and excess glucose is stored. When you sleep fats are the main energy source and to converts fats to glucose requires some time during a "no energy available" time (sleep, tiredness). From this you can correctly assume that in daytime you burn more glucose and at night when you sleep you turn to fat burning to keep the body going. When the glucose is mopped up too fast by the excess production of insulin you run out of steam. Foggy brain is the typical effect of the insulin ‘spike' caused by a diet high in carbohydrates, low protein and low fat content. This foggy brain period is a brain saving move to let the brain get the circulating glucose/energy while moving the body on hold by putting it to sleep.
You can reduce that insulin ‘spike' by adding of fibre, protein and fats in the correct ratios (1:1:1) to your carbs, it is a fact that the same three components make a foods ‘low glycaemic'. Eating only low glycaemic foods is however not enough! Following the ‘Zone Diet' (go to www.drsears.com) is the easiest way to prevent foggy brain. Your parents and grandparents ate almost like the zone diet before the seventies when they were young when the Food Pyramid diet was instituted. Using the zone diet will allow you to access your body stores effecting some weight loss (even if you are not overweight (overweight = BMI >25%) while maintaining muscle mass. Your carbo cravings will disappear and have much more energy.
The simplest way to more energy and a clear brain is to increase protein food intake (to about 60 to 80 grams per meal) and use the right amount of fats (1 Tbs of tahini, or 1 tsp butter, or 1 tsp olive oil per meal) and reduce the carbohydrates (fruit, vegetables and the denser carbs like bread, pasta, potato, etc) in every meal to 40 percent. You can add cinnamon to your cereal. Cinnamon delays insulin production.
If you have trouble sorting your diet out, do not hesitate to talk to me in my clinic. It is easier than you think. I have helped many people overcome their energy slumps. Come and see me if you need further clarification.
If you want a list of Zone FOOD BLOCKS and/or a list of your blood type foods, send me an email through my ENQUIRY form and I will email you those lists.
Health Tip number 3
Top 13 Zone Diet Tips
This came from one of the latest Zone newsletters.
- Always eat within one hour of waking.
- Never let more than five hours go by without having a Zone meal or snack and don’t forget your bedtime snack.
- Keep a food diary and note how you feel after a meal. Make a list of which meals keep you in the Zone and it shows you what is happening.
- When you go to the store, make sure to have a list in hand with ingredients for at least two or three Zone meals. Then you won’t be tempted to buy everything in sight while trying to create Zone meals on the spot.
- Never leave the house hungry, or you’ll be tempted by all the food waved in your face everywhere you go.
- In dips, replace part or all of the sour cream with cottage cheese. Place the cottage cheese in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add seasonings and blend again.
- Instead of skimping with a small amount of mayo and having dry tuna, try using strained yogurt instead. Spice it up if you want.
- Making guacamole in the Zone, and use cut up red, green and orange bell peppers instead of tortilla chips.
- Take any type of fruit you like, (lemons, limes, oranges, strawberries, or any combination of fruits), slice, place in a pitcher, fill with ice and water, and place in the fridge overnight. Stir just before serving.
- Miss mashed potatoes? Try mashed cauliflower instead. Slice zucchini (length wise), brush lightly with olive oil and broil until crisp/tender (about 5 minutes). Then use the zucchini like you would lasagna noodles.