Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Help Yourself Lose The Weight

By Christopher Rom

Better choices of foods can make a world of difference in the results you achieve on a diet. Quality foods will satisfy you for a longer period and won't hinder your fat loss. These foods are all low glycemic, so you won't get a corresponding insulin spike which temporarily halts fat loss.

Green vegetables are a perfect diet food. Packed with nutrients and fiber and devoid of calories, green vegetables are a dieters dream food.Most fish are excellent diet choices. Salmon rates higher due to its high level of omega-3 oils and its unique antioxidant, astaxanthin (the component that makes it pink).

Green tea one top notch antioxidant, kills appetite, increases thermogenesis and fat oxidation. A long time dieters staple, researches are still unsure why grapefruit improves weight loss efforts, though it does partially reverse insulin resistance. Grapefruit may interact with the metabolism of some drugs, so ask your doctor.

Additionally to being a low calorie food, apples are loaded with pectin, a viscous fiber that helps improve insulin sensitivity and prevent abdominal fat. Dietary self control becomes much easier when appetite is not raging out of control. Appetite appears to be controlled by multiple systems that signal the brain about the nutritional status of the organism.

Specific hormones signal your brain that the stomach is empty. Cholecystokinin (CCK), PPY and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) signal the brain that the stomach is full. Leptin, secreted by the fat cells, is part of a feedback system that informs the brain of the amount of body fat. Low levels signal the brain that the you,re starving and appetite is up-regulated.Modulating the gut hormone levels is an exciting new way to control appetite.

Appetite suppressants modulated neurotransmitters.Neuropeptide Y is a major appetite stimulant. Serotonin also appears to be involved. Most likely these are signaled by the gut hormones. Norepinephrine is the neurotransmitter that stimulants modulate to decrease appetite.

Insulin, cortisol and thyroid hormones increase appetite. These major hormones are best controlled by lifestyle changes, avoiding stress, moderate exercise and eating quality, whole foods are one key to this.

1. Fiber. In various forms, fiber is an excellent appetite suppressant. Some fibers increase CCK. Just make sure that it is not high in carbs. 2. DLPA. A combination of both the L- and D- forms of phenylalanine, DLPA increases both CCK and norepinephrine. Take it on an empty stomach. 3. 5-HTP. Increases serotonin levels, which decreases appetite.which will aide in weight loss 4. Long Chain Fatty Acids. The longer chain fatty acids release more CCK and GLP-1. 5. Leucine. This amino acid signals the brain, via mTOR, that ample protein is available.

VAT (Visceral Adipose Tissue) is fat that is deposited around the organs in the abdominal cavity. VAT is different than subcutaneous fat (fat just under the skin) in that you cannot pinch it. VAT is far more dangerous than subcutaneous fat and more metabolically active. Accumulation of VAT is associated with insulin resistance and results in a complex of symptoms (high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high triglycerides and high fasting glucose) known as the metabolic disorder (or Syndrome X). VAT occurs in both sexes, but is more prevalent in men and postmenopausal women.The waist to hip ratio(WHR) is a common way to determine the severity of VAT accumulation. Higher ratios indicate more VAT accumulation. Ratios above 0.8 for a woman and 0.95 for a man indicate an unhealthy level of VAT.

Resistance of Insulin appears to be the strongest primary cause of excess VAT. In fact, a high WHR is strongly associated with fasting insulin, total whole-body glucose disposal and glucose oxidation. Also, other factors associated with insulin resistance are also positively correlated with a high WHR, including triglycerides, hepatic lipase (HL) and HL/LPL ratio. Likewise, factors negatively correlated with insulin resistance are also negatively correlated with WHR including HDL.Many hormone systems are also involved. Androgen levels appear to be involved, but the research is conflicting. For instance, some studies have found that DHEA-S levels are associated with abdominal obesity, while other have found a reverse correlation. A decline in growth hormone levels appears to be a contributor, along with increases in cortisol.

Things that can be done to reduce VAT? The same things that improve insulin sensitivity will also reduce VAT. Weight loss is the number one thing here. Minimizing dietary intake of saturated fats, trans fats and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids is also hugely important. Monounsaturated fats (like olive oil) and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (like fish and flax oil) improve insulin sensitivity. Fiber intake is negatively correlated with WHR. Pectin appears to be the most effective fiber for reducing WHR. Increasing protein while reducing carbohydrate intake also improves WHR.

One extremely effective way to improving insulin resistance and eliminating VAT is exercise. Walking works well for this. But higher intensity exercise works better.Some supplements that show promise for reducing VAT include pantethine, taurine, calcium and tea. Stimulants should be avoided due to their direct effect on cortisol levels and indirect effect on insulin sensitivity. - 14130

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