Metabolism - Weight Loss:

Question 1

Factors that hinder weight loss:

Answer 1

• Over-eating and junk food (too many calories from energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods).
• Sedentary lifestyle (not enough movement).
• High blood sugar (often associated with high intake of refined carbohydrates and ‘Insulin resistance’).
• Chronic stress (cortisol = ↑ blood sugar, ↑ abdominal fat).
• Poor sleep (linked to ↑ waist circumference, ↑ fat mass).
• Underactive thyroid function.
• Gut flora imbalances (which can influence metabolism).

Question 2

Reducing Stress:

Answer 2

• Identify and address the root cause of stress.
• Diaphragmatic breathing exercises to stimulate the Vagus nerve (and parasympathetic activity)
• Eat to balance blood sugar (low blood sugar increases cortisol).
• Use ‘adaptogenic’ and ‘nervine’ (relaxing) herbs such as ashwagandha, chamomile and passionflower.
• Reduce reliance on stimulants (e.g. coffee) and alcohol.
• Eat a diet high in Magnesium, B-vitamins and Vitamin C.
• Epsom Salt baths (500g of salts – add 10 drops of lavender oil).

Question 3

Good Sleep Hygiene:

Answer 3

• Avoid coffee (a stimulant) and products containing caffeine. Also avoid alcohol (a sedative that leads to a less restorative sleep).
• Plan for 8 ½ to 9 hours in bed – lights out before 11pm.
• Ensure the bedroom is dark, cool and well ventilated.
• 1-2 hours before bed:
  o Minimise exposure to bright lights.
  o Switch off devices (e.g. mobile, tablets, television).
• 3 hours before bed:
  o Finish all eating and complete any aerobic exercise.
• Aim to go to sleep and wake up at the same time each day.

Question 4

Alternate Day Fasting (ADF):

Answer 4

• A type of Intermittent Fasting (IF) whereby you alternate between periods of normal eating and periods of fasting or significant caloric restriction.
  o e.g. 5:2 diet (eating your normal diet 5 days a week and reducing calories to 500-600kcals 2 days in the week).
  o More extreme versions of ADF can be only eating every other day (i.e. 36-hour fast every 48 hours).
• Benefits include reduction in fat mass (particularly trunk fat), LDL cholesterol and Triglycerides (TG).
• Intermittent fasting (IF) works by lowering insulin levels, thereby training your body to get better at using fat for fuel. IF also increases Growth Hormone which is associated with lower body fat.

Question 5

Time Restricted Feeding – TRF:

Answer 5

• A type of Intermittent Fasting (IF) where all of one’s eating is limited to a certain number of hours each day.
• The eating window varies depending on a person’s preference, usually between 6 to 12 hours per day; e.g. 16:8 (10am-6pm).
  o More extreme TRF can be 20:4 or 23:1 (i.e. one-meal-a-day).
• TRF studies demonstrate results in weight loss and reduced caloric intake without counting calories.
• Other health benefits can include reduced cardiometabolic risk factors including reduced blood pressure, fatty liver, LDL cholesterol and insulin resistance.

Question 6

Low Carb/High-Fat (LCHF) diet
(i.e. Ketogenic diet):

Answer 6

• The ketogenic diet (KD) is a high fat (e.g. 65-75%), moderate protein, very low carbohydrate (e.g. <50g/day) way of eating.
• Similar to IF, the lack of glucose intake (and resulting low levels of insulin) induces the body to burn ketones and fat for energy. However, unlike IF, there is no calorie deficit.
• The health benefits, apart from reduced body fat, include a lower inflammatory and oxidative burden than when running on glucose.
• Therapeutic uses of KDs include type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s, PCOS, Parkinson’s, epilepsy and more.

Question 7

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT):

Answer 7

• Short bursts of intensive exercise alternated with low-intensity recovery, typically only performed for 10-30 minutes.
  o e.g. Cycling hard on a stationary bike at high resistance for 20 secs and resting for 40 secs before repeating for 20 minutes.
• HIIT creates an oxygen debt which is repaid via EPOC - Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption - whereby oxygen intake increases post-exercise.
• Health benefits: increases metabolic rate (<36 hours post-exercise), lowers body fat, fasting blood sugar, blood pressure and resting heart rate; also less time spent exercising.
  Oxygen debt = when an activity performed uses energy faster than the rate at which the body can supply oxygen.

Question 8

What’s the Best Diet for Weight Loss?

Answer 8

Answer: there isn’t one!
* We are all unique, biochemical, psychological, constitutional and emotional beings and what works for one person will not necessarily work for another.
* A quick online search will show you many diets for weight loss –all claiming to be the best with ample ‘research’ to support their claim.
* As a nutritional therapist, there are some key points you need to evaluate about a nutritional plan for a client.

Question 9

Creating a Nutritional Plan

Answer 9

• Factors to evaluate:
  1. Does the plan address behavioural triggers or eating?
  2. Does the plan provide all necessary micronutrients and macromolecules?
  3. Is it a diet or a lifestyle change?
  4. What is the motivation?
  5. Does the plan offer education and support?
  6. Does the plan include exercise?

Question 10

Naturopathic Nutrition
“Getting the basics right”:

Answer 10

• Whole, Organic, Seasonal.
• Follow food combining principles.
• Fit with one’s constitution.
• Free of ultra-processed food.
• Chew each bite well.
• Avoid drinking with meals.
• 3 meals a day max.