Slow and Steady Wins the Race

It's a fact of life that, when someone thinks about losing weight, he or she wants to see instant results. In most cases, the weight that has crept on has done so over a period of a month or years. Most often, increased eating is not the reason. Far more likely a cause is diminished physical activity due to work or family responsibilities, and/or a change in hormone levels due to aging. Both these causes are associated with a decrease in the level of metabolism.

When it comes to losing unwanted fat, 'slow and steady wins the race'. A sudden reduction of food intake due to dieting may result in quick weight loss, but this is usually fluid loss. As soon as the body recognizes that its calorie intake has been curbed, it shifts into conservation mode - reducing the speed of metabolism, and holding on to body fat. By contrast, a small reduction in calories results in a steady and sustainable loss of weight. This is particularly true when the level of activity is gradually increased.

By trimming your calories by a mere 100 a day - half a small muffin, a slice of bread, or a small potato - you will lose close to 10 pounds (4.5 kilos) a year. Add to this a half-hour walk that burns another 100 calories, and you could lose 20 pounds (9 kilos) in the next 12 months. This kind of slow and steady weight loss will be easy to maintain over the long term.

PGX and Weight Loss

The number one reason people cite for slipping up on their revised eating plan is feeling hungry. This applies to those who are trying to lose weight, and those who are wanting to maintain their weight at the 'right' level.

PGX (PolyGlycopleX) helps curb hunger pangs. This blend of soluble and indigestible fibres was developed at the University of Toronto after several years of research. PGX fibre thickens and expands in your stomach and intestines, creating a sensation of fullness that effectively controls the appetite for several hours. In slowing down the speed at which sugars are released into the blood stream (see PG and Insulin Levels), PGX helps curb the over-production of insulin in response to high glycemic foods such as white rice and pasta.

After using PGX for a week or so, most people report that their appetite is reduced and their food cravings significantly diminished.

PGX and Insulin Levels

In addition to helping regulate the appetite, PGX also assists in balancing glucose and insulin levels after a meal. When foods with a high glycemic index are consumed, the sugars are quickly released into the blood stream. This results in the production of insulin, the hormone that helps transport sugar from the blood stream into the body's cells, where it is burned for energy.

Normally, the body maintains the correct balance between glucose and insulin. However, many overweight people are insulin resistant - a condition in which insulin loses its effectiveness. The body attempts to compensate for this by manufacturing more insulin, which can result in food cravings and weight gain. (Other conditions associated with insulin resistance include increased risk of developing diabetes, increased blood pressure, and elevated cholesterol levels.)

Weight Management and Aging

Although most people feel that 'middle age spread' is due to some mysterious factor, this is not the case. In most cases, the pounds that creep on are simply due to lifestyle changes and associated reduction in energy output.

Typically, a person's activity level begins to decline in his or her 30's. This is the decade when family and work responsibilities replace the more physical activities enjoyed during the carefree days of youth. Research has shown that adults in their 30s also begin to eat more - at their desks, at business lunches, and while at home caring for a growing family.

As physical activity wanes, the muscles begin to diminish, in doing so, reducing the amount of calories required. (Muscles burn close to twice the number of calories when at rest than does fat tissue.) Studies have shown that the metabolism tends to slow by an average of five percent per decade after the age of 40. Slowly and surely, the pounds creep on, typically around the mid-section.

While it is easy to blame the increased fat on menopause, andropause, or simply 'getting on', most of that jiggle is the outcome of a decade or two of declining activity and the associated decrease in muscle mass.

Increasing Your Metabolism

Gradually building up your muscles will result in increased metabolism and, over time, this increase will result in a loss of fat. Although walking and other aerobic activities help to burn off calories, they do not result in the maintenance of muscle mass that is required to use up the same number of calories burned off in youth.

To whittle down a spreading waistline, and keep the body well toned, it is necessary to rebuild the body's musculature. Fortunately, this can be achieved at any age through strength training.

Never Too Late to Begin

Studies have shown that even people in their 80's and 90's can build up muscle mass if they follow a weight training program. 'Weight training' does not necessarily mean lifting weights. The term refers to any exercise where your muscles are made to resist an opposing force. Walking (particularly uphill) and cycling are considered weight bearing exercises, but they involve only the lower body. If you enjoy these activities, be sure to also work out your upper body, perhaps with a rowing machine or stretchy bands.

To benefit from weight training, it is best to work out two or three times a week, gradually increasing the weight load, or resistance. This will force your muscles to grow as they adjust to the increased stress put upon them.

A bonus of weight/resistance training is that it helps maintain bone mass, reducing the risk of osteoporosis (brittle bone disease).

A Little More Protein...

Although an integral part of a well balanced diet, too many carbohydrates can contribute to weight gain and weight retention. This applies to healthy carbs such as wholegrains, when too little protein is consumed.

Carbohydrates are comfort foods and it is easy to consume them to the exclusion of protein. This results in elevated insulin levels and storage of excess energy as fat tissue. The outpouring of insulin gives rise to the sensation of hunger and the desire for more carbohydrates.

Adding a small amount of protein to a carbohydrate meal (half a can of tuna with half a wholegrain bagel; an egg on wholewheat toast; a tofu 'burger' with veggies and brown rice, for example), will help stave off hunger pangs, help maintain muscle mass, and assist in controlling the release of insulin.

Back to Top