5 Ways to Eliminate Excess Weight and Beat Obesity for Good!

Dr. Linda Friedland
Linda Friedland Nutrition

Originally posted on NutriLiving.com

If you’re carrying excess weight, it’s likely that, thus far, nothing long-lasting has worked for you. Which diets have you tried? Master Cleanse, Atkins, Dukan? What about the cabbage soup or grapefruit diets? Low carb, high protein, or paleo diets? The list goes on and on. Sure, you’ve lost weight initially, but no sooner have you achieved your goals that the weight is piling on again – and quickly! On the bright side, you’re not alone. Obesity is a global epidemic. In the United States, more than 60 percent of the population is overweight or obese, and it’s only increasing. Weight loss is a multi-billion dollar industry as many adults, teens, and even children are looking for a quick fix. Over the last few decades, a staggering number of diets, diet pills, diet foods, and diet books have hit the market. Although more money is being spent on weight loss products, ironically, the population is getting more and more overweight.

The basic problem with diets is that they don’t work. “Over 80 percent of weight lost on a diet is regained within a short time and almost all people will regain the whole lot, plus extra, within a year,” according to a study from Harvard Medical School in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The two major factors for obesity are reduced exercise and increased food consumption, or as scientists refer to as the “Big Two.” Americans are ingesting more calories than they’re burning. However, underneath the simple energy-in, energy-out equation is a complex interaction of powerful physiological, genetic, and societal forces.

The stigma of obesity might be more bearable if diet and exercise, the most prescribed solutions to obesity, worked. But they often don’t. Obesity is shaped by so much more than what you eat. Your genes, family, sedentary lifestyle, emotional state, as well as hundreds of other factors may play roles in weight gain. The “set-point theory” contends that an obese person’s body will actually “defend” its excess weight.

Food companies also like to feed our food addictions, and they’ve figured out just how to make our mouths water. Cheaply manufactured, sugary, and salty snacks have become the mainstay, not only for take-outs, but also in our pantries and fridges. David Kessler, a former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration wrote in his book, The End of Overeating, that the food industry manipulates the levels of sugar, salt, and fats in food in order to create a neurochemical addiction. Over time, these “hyper palatable” foods change our brain chemistry in ways that make us overeat and develop an addiction. The secret to breaking this pattern right now is to change the way you eat and what you eat as a permanent lifestyle adjustment and a long-term commitment.

The Five Secret Strategies

1. Insulin is the key.

When most people think of insulin, they think of diabetes, an illness that affects 30 million Americans. However, few realize that this hormone is one of the body’s master chemicals! Insulin ensures the steady flow of energy to your cells. At stable levels, it helps create a healthy body weight, supports your heart and circulatory system, and protects you from many common illnesses.

To a great extent, we can control our insulin levels by virtue of the kinds of foods we eat, the quantity of calories we consume, how much we exercise, and how well we cope with stress. Processed foods, such as bagels, muffins, pastries, candies and soda, are all packed with simple sugars that drive insulin levels through the roof. By keeping insulin levels dangerously elevated, these foods contribute to excessive weight gain, obesity, and all the degenerative illnesses that afflict many people today. Low glycemic vegetables and some fruits, grains, seeds, and nuts help keep our insulin levels in healthy limits and prevent excessive fat storage.

2. Eat less!

Although insulin, hormones, and metabolism control much of fat storage, in order to lose weight, we really do need to watch how much we eat! Maintaining a significant amount of excess weight requires a high input of food and calories. We tend to get used to eating huge portions to the point where it feels normal. Americans now consume an average of 2,700 calories a day, about 500 more daily than people did 40 years ago. Start gradually cutting down on those calories! Although it’ll be difficult at first, your body will get used to it in a short time and you’ll begin to mobilize the weight. This is why it’s so important to eat the right foods in the right amounts and combinations to ensure your body gets what it needs to work optimally.

3. Start slow and then HIIT it!

Exercise is essential to your healthy lifestyle. Any type of exercise that you do is beneficial. It burns calories, sensitizes your insulin receptors, and boosts metabolism. Walking is a perfect cardio exercise to begin your journey to sustainable weight loss and improved health. The FIT principle is a valuable guide – frequency (at least three times a week), intensity (moderate), and time (at least 30 to 40 minutes). Once you’re feeling stronger, consider adding HIIT! In recent years, High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) has been shown to significantly enhance weight loss, energy sustainability, and total physical and mental wellbeing. Remember to always talk to your doctor before embarking on a new exercise schedule.

4. Avoid inflammatory foods.

Inflammation throughout all cells of our bodies is one of the roots of almost all chronic illnesses. Processed, refined, and convenience foods spike up insulin levels, exacerbating inflammation. Our western diet is rich in pro-inflammatory compounds while lacking in antioxidants and other nutrients that help prevent and control inflammation. Unaware of this, the average American consumes more than 160 pounds of sugar and 200 pounds of white flour each year, which increases blood sugar and generates pro-inflammatory chemicals. A complicated interplay of various hormones, enzymes, and acids causes damage to our bodies. These specific hormones, called eicosanoids, are activated when insulin is high, damaging our cells and blood vessels.

5. Unlock the weight loss code with NutriBullet LEAN.

Food is not just fuel – it’s packages of information, like a computer code, that tells your body what to do. The NutriBullet LEAN Plan makes it super simple to prepare foods that deliver the “weight loss code” – the proper balance of protein, carbs, and healthy fats – to tell your body to stop storing fat. With specialized tools, recipes, shopping lists, and more, each 7-Day NutriBullet LEAN cycle lays out exactly what and how much you should eat at every meal, making it super easy to stay “on code” to get the body you’ve always wanted. It’ll help you lose pounds and inches faster than you ever thought possible and keep them off – all without ever going hungry so that you can achieve your weight loss goals.

Remember, it’s a total change of mindset and lifestyle that’ll lead to lasting weight loss and a healthier, more energized you!

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