Raise your hand if you can relate to the following scenario: It’s day 1 of your new diet. You’re excited, you’re motivated and you’re really ready this time. You’re following the guidelines to the letter. The morning wasn’t too bad though you ate your lunch a little early to silence your growling stomach. Now it’s mid-afternoon and you’re freaking starving. Everyone around you is eating and you might be crazy but you’re pretty sure all of a sudden you have a heightened sense of smell because you can almost TASTE that cookie your co-worker is enjoying three doors down. If she comes any closer, she’s gonna lose that cookie and her right arm. All you can think about is food. When can you eat next? What will you eat? All the things you can’t eat! What are you going to cook and bring to that BBQ three weeks and 4 days from now? Food. NOW.
Maybe you white-knuckle it and make it through the day. You wake up in the middle of the night hungry. You’re eating your breakfast while you make it. You start to question your ability to stick with it. Next thing you know, you’re frantically tearing through the pantry for anything with carbs. You’ve blown it. It’s over. You gave in; the hunger won.
That exact thing has happened to me a million times (though no co-workers were harmed in the making of my diet failures). I’ve got good news for you: it’s not your fault. Who can we blame? Hunger and the hormones that trigger it.
Here’s how it goes down: most diets have you eating fewer calories than you normally would. By nature then, even if it’s not a low-carb diet, you’re eating fewer carbs as well. So your baseline is fewer carbs and fewer calories. The almost immediate hormonal response is a decrease in the amount of insulin you produce and an increase in your sensitivity to it. Well that sounds like a good thing, right? It can be, except for the fact that a reduction in insulin production triggers hunger!! The good news is this: it’s not your lack of willpower causing you to fail, it’s that you haven’t yet been taught the tools to battle hunger, cut it off at the pass and balance the hormonal swings that trigger it.
In addition to insulin triggering our sensation of hunger, our body begins to produce even more hunger-stimulating hormones such as cortisol and ghrelin. Your body is fighting to keep you fat and hunger is a POWERFUL weapon.
Now, don’t confuse hunger with cravings. We’ll talk more about cravings later but we’re talking about true hunger here – that empty tummy grumbling physical sensation that makes it hard to focus on anything else.
Onto the practical stuff: how can you handle hunger and turn off those hormonal signals that are making your tummy growl so loud your neighbors think its thunder?
Increase your intake of fat and protein. A fat loss diet does NOT need to be a low calorie diet. When you make the backbone of your diet lean proteins and non-starchy vegetables you can actually eat a tremendous volume of food and substantial number of calories while continuing to lose fat. Proteins and fat actually send messages to your body to hold off on releasing these hunger-stimulating hormones, so in addition to being able to eat more, your body is less likely to respond with hunger.
Increase your intake of non-starchy vegetables. Here’s the great thing about these: they are very low calorie so you can eat a very high volume. When your stomach physically begins to stretch as it fills with food, this act of stretching signals your body not to release the hunger hormones. In fact, as your stomach fills with food it actually triggers the release of a hormone called leptin which signals your brain that you’re full and it’s time to stop eating. It’s not uncommon for me to eat 3 or more cups of green, leafy vegetables with my lunch and dinner.
Don’t enter the carbohydrate cycle. When insulin is low and insulin sensitivity is high hunger sensations are triggered. Your body will actually crave carbohydrates because it wants to increase your blood sugar quickly. These cravings aren’t just in your head, it’s what your body is telling you it wants to fix the hunger problem. Don’t do it! It will make your hunger worse in the long run! Attack your hunger with lean protein, healthy fats or non-starchy vegetables. If you introduce carbohydrates out of desperation you are not only reducing the likelihood that you’ll be able to burn fat, but your blood sugar will peak and then drop, your insulin will rise and then fall and that triggers the cycle to begin again.
The hunger will come. Your body is trying to hang on to those fat stores just in case you need them. You now have tools to help you beat the hunger, avoid white-knuckling it and falling prey to compensation later and keep your body in fat-burning mode.
Earlier this week I posted an overview of buffers and triggers and shared some common examples of each. Like I said then, understanding my buffers and triggers and working with them is most of the most important differences between my lifestyle change which allowed me to lose over 100 lbs and all my past failed attempts. Here’s a quick recap of what I explained the other day:
Think of a buffer as something that takes the edge off. You know, when everyone around you is enjoying birthday cake and you pop a piece of gum to give you a sweet fix and distract you enough to keep you from grabbing a fist full of cake. They are often a small, dietary concession, which provides mental relief and allows you to stay on track. Buffers don’t have to be food or drink but for me, they often are. I wrote the other day about sweet tooth strategies and some of those are certainly buffers for me! Some common buffers include:
Protein bars
Nuts or seeds
Nut butters
Dark chocolate
Wine
Diet soda
Coffee with stevia and cream
Cheese
The hardest part between buffers and triggers is differentiating between the two and realizing that a buffer can easily become a trigger over time. There’s a fine line between what keeps you on track and what pushes you over the edge. It’s a slippery slope and requires attention and adjusting.
At one point in time, protein bars were a buffer for me. They are sweet, dense and super convenient and I found a few that I thought tasted incredible. I’d keep a couple in my purse at all times and I’d often turn to them mid-afternoon when I was bored and hungry for dinner. At some point though, I started slipping. The sweetness of the bar began to ignite my sweet tooth and I found myself eating two (sometimes 3!) bars and barely even noticing it! My sweet cravings would be out of control for hours or days. My buffer became a trigger. Bars became a tipping point that dragged me off course and made me lose focus. What did I do? Cut out bars. They weren’t a “just in case” go-to buffer. They were Pandora’s box.
I’ve also tried buffers hoping they’d be a buffer but kinda knowing they were a trigger. Enter nut butters. Oh man. Is there anyone who can stop at one tablespoon?? Show yourself! Haha. You have to be honest with yourself. Don’t tell yourself something will take the edge off because you want license to eat it when you know full well you have a hard time turning it off. Like I said, there is a fine line between a buffer and trigger and you MUST be honest with yourself.
So what do I use as a buffer these days? I have a few. Right now, if I am craving something sweet I make a little protein pudding. I usually take 2 scoops of protein and add ½ tsp of caramel extract and just enough unsweetened almond milk to make a thick pudding. I eat it really, really slowly and the sweet creaminess feels so indulgent.
Othertimes, I’ll use nuts and dried fruit. Here’s the catch for me though: I only buy what I will allow myself to eat. I don’t buy a big bag of trail mix. I don’t have enough self-control. I’ll go to Whole Foods or Fresh Market or somewhere I can self-serve select nuts and dried fruits and I’ll put together a tiny amount of each. I make sure that wherever I eat it I’m able to focus and savor each bite.
Arctic Zero protein ice cream. Need I say more? The great thing about this (aside from the taste!) is that you can eat the entire pint. It’s 150 calories, moderate carbs and decent protein. I don’t have to worry about cutting myself off or going overboard. I buy one pint, let it soften a little and take my time to enjoy every spoonful.
There are a few keys to getting the most out of your buffer foods and leveraging them to help you stay on track:
Be honest. We’re all guilty of telling ourselves we can enjoy “just a little”. You know yourself. If it’s a trigger, don’t tell yourself it’s a buffer. At some point, you will probably be able to have just a little but if you aren’t there yet, don’t tempt fate. Avoid it. Be honest.
Don’t overdo it. Use your buffers strategically. Don’t make the case for a buffer food every 3 hours. You want to keep it clean most of the time. Use your buffers only when you really need them.
Don’t white knuckle it. While you don’t want to overdo it, you also don’t want to grit your teeth and tough it out, depriving yourself day after day and being miserable. That will set you up for compensatory eating down the road and that’s always worse (physically and mentally) than a strategically timed buffer.
Keep asking “Is this working?” Remember that your buffers and triggers may change over time. Check in with yourself and make sure whatever you’re using as a buffer is still serving you. If it no longer takes the edge off or starts to send you into a downward spiral check yourself and try a different strategy.
Buffers and triggers are powerful tools when used properly but they do require attention and awareness. Take some time this week to think about what your buffers and triggers might be and start to strategically use them when you need them!
Hey! Have you signed up for my free webinar yet?! Time is running out to reserve your spot! Sunday August 24th at 8pm EST I’ll be covering all the myths surrounding carbs and fat loss! Don’t miss it! Click here to reserve your spot now!
I don’t care if you eat “healthy”. I’m sure that more often than not, you probably do. Here’s the thing: it doesn’t matter. No offense. I know your intentions are good. Mine were too. I grew up in a home where my mom very much believed in serving healthy, balanced meals. I studied nutrition. I made “healthy” choices.
Healthy eating and fat loss eating are NOT the same thing. A fat loss way of eating IS a healthy way of eating but the reverse is not necessarily true. I’d argue that the standard definition of “healthy” eating isn’t healthy at all but that’s a a discussion for another day. Today I want to talk about eating for fat loss.
If you consider yourself a healthy eater you might be focusing on getting adequate vitamins and minerals in your diet. You might request brown rice instead of white when ordering out and select low-fat dairy options at the grocery. Kudos for your intentions but that’s not going to transform your shape and help you reach your fat loss goals.
I wrote on Facebook the other day about a conversation I had while on vacation. One of my family members was asking me about Primal and what kinds of foods I eat. She shared that she wants to lose some weight and asked what she should be eating for breakfast. She felt like she was making a good choice – granola with fruit and yogurt – but isn’t getting any results. I explained to her that while that breakfast may be considered “healthy”, it is actually working AGAINST her fat loss goals and she needs a major breakfast overhaul. I’ll tell you why…
One of the greatest determinants of your ability to burn fat is your total carbohydrate intake. I’m not about to advocate a “no carb” diet because it’s not necessary for fat loss and I don’t believe in extremes, but hear me out. Carbohydrates trigger the release of insulin. Insulin regulates your blood sugar by ushering glucose into your cells. Insulin is a necessary hormone but it is a STORAGE hormone. It signals your body that plenty of energy is available (via the carbs you just ate or those it has previously stored) so it can go ahead and turn off all your fat-burning machinery because that extra fat isn’t needed for energy. At the same time, it takes all those extra carbs from your meal and sends them away to be stored as fat.
For your body to allow stored fat to be burned, insulin MUST be low. What does that mean in terms of your fat loss food choices? You need to watch your carbohydrate intake. A fat loss diet emphasizes to primary components:
Non-starchy vegetables
Quality protein
One of the most straight-forward ways to transition towards a fat loss way of eating is to start eliminating processed foods. Most are very carb-dense and offer very little nutritive value. Focus on whole foods – foods that are exactly as nature intended them.
From there, structure your meals around your non-starchy vegetables and quality proteins. I usually make sure that about ½ my plate is made up of veggies like brussel sprouts, cabbage, asparagus or greens, another ¼ from quality protein and that no more than 2 of my 4 or 5 meals include a small amount of carbohydrate such as sweet potato, quinoa or fruit.
When I am going to enjoy carbohydrates, I make sure that I time them appropriately to maximize fat loss. I have them in my first meal post workout or at my dinner time meal. I almost ALWAYS avoid carbohydrates in the morning. Here’s why:
When you wake up in the morning your body is in peak fat-burning mode. You’ve been fasting overnight and your metabolism is primed. While you were sleeping, cortisol (a stress hormone) was rising. It’s 24-hour peak is around 7am. If you introduce carbohydrates in the morning, you introduce insulin. Your body is very insulin sensitive after your overnight fast and insulin and cortisol do not play well together. The combination accelerates fat storage. Not only that, but when you raise insulin in the morning (telling your body there is no need for fat burning because fuel sources are readily available via carbohydrates), it limits your body’s ability to burn fat throughout the day.
For that reason, I eat my carbohydrates in the evening when I am less insulin-sensitive and when my cortisol level aren’t at their peak.
Striving for a “healthy, balanced diet” in the traditional sense may not only not help you burn fat, it might actually encourage fat storage. Switching your mindset to focus on the nutritional pillars of a fat loss diet will get you on the fast track to your goals!
I first learned about the concept of buffers and triggers from Metabolic Effect. Their Metabolic Effect Diet is an incredible resource for understanding why traditional diets fail and how you can eat more, exercise less and lose weight!
Learning the concept of buffers and triggers was one of the most empowering experiences throughout my fat loss journey. It allowed me to put a name to something that had been derailing my success and it gave me a practical strategy for overcoming it.
Think of a buffer as something that takes the edge off. You know, when everyone around you is enjoying birthday cake and you enjoy a handful of nuts and chocolate chips to give you a sweet fix and distract you enough to keep you from grabbing a fist full of cake. They are small, dietary concessions, which provide mental relief and allow you to stay on track. Buffers don’t have to be food or drink but for me, they often are. I wrote the other day about sweet tooth strategies and some of those are certainly buffers for me! Some common buffers include:
Protein bars
Nuts or seeds
Nut butters
Dark chocolate
Wine
Diet soda
Coffee with stevia and cream
Cheese
Triggers, on the other hand, are things that are likely to send you into a downward spiral. You know, those things that you can’t have “just one” of? Foods that defy self-control and moderation? Uh huh, we all have them. When you are able to identify and avoid your triggers, you’ll make your fat loss journey FAR easier! Some common triggers include:
Nuts or nut butters
Salty, crunchy snacks
Alcohol
Dairy products (cheese, ice cream, yogurt)
Any and all processed foods
The lists of common buffers and triggers look similar, don’t they? That’s the thing, what’s a buffer for one person might be a trigger for the next. I’ve also found that for me, something that is a buffer at one point may become a trigger a few weeks later!
The best way to identify your own buffers and triggers is to pay close attention to what you eat, when you eat and why you eat. Keeping track will allow you to look back and see what sent you off the rails as well as what allowed you to get into a nice groove of good, healthy choices.
Check back next week – I’m going to be sharing my personal buffers and triggers and how I use them to stay on track and accelerate my fat loss!
I love the phrase “When you know better, you do better”. Information is one of our most powerful tools. With it, we can create and achieve just about anything we want as long as we have the desire and commitment to go with it. Unfortunately, there is an enormous amount of misinformation on food, nutrition and weight loss. You can have the desire and the commitment but if you’re misinformed you’ll end up frustrated and defeated. No bueno. I spent years in this cycle getting nowhere fast. Often I had the commitment and desire but acted on terrible information. Othertimes, I floundered with good information and a solid plan but just not enough commitment or desire. Today, I want to tackle some of the major misconceptions about carbohydrates and fat loss to arm you with the right information for when you’re ready to start moving towards your fat loss goals. Don’t let some of the technical terms make your eyes glaze over….I’m going to break it down and hopefully share some things that help you see carbohydrates differently.
Wheat-based products are the cornerstone of the Standard American Diet. Conventional wisdom has encouraged Americans to cut fat and cholesterol and increase their consumption of whole grains. Where has that gotten us? Fat and unwell.
Wheat is a grain and is considered a complex carbohydrate. Complex just means that they are longer chains of sugar molecules linked together. When people think of complex carbohydrates they often think of whole grains. When they think of whole grains they think “healthy”. That right there is the misconception I want to address.
Carbohydrates spell trouble for fat loss because of their ability to raise your blood sugar quickly. The more quickly it raises your blood sugar the worse it is for fat loss. The story we’re usually told about this is that simple sugars (think tablespoon of table sugar) is going to break down really quickly and raise our blood sugar fast while something like whole grain bread is going to break down more slowly and not mess with our blood sugar as much. Guess what: that’s not exactly true!
The particular type of complex carbohydrate found in wheat is the most easily digestible and therefore has a more significant impact on blood sugar than even straight table sugar!! We refer to the ability of a food to raise blood sugar as the Glycemic Index (GI) – the higher the GI, the more the food raises blood sugar. Here are a few examples that might surprise you.
Food
Glycemic Index
Whole grain bread
72
Shredded wheat
67
White bread
69
Table sugar
59
Snickers bar
41
So what do we see here? Pretty shocking, huh? Whole grain bread raises your blood sugar MORE than straight table sugar or a Snickers bar? Yup. Same with shredded wheat. Not only that, but whole grain bread increases your blood sugar more than white bread!
So what does all this blood sugar have to do with weight loss? Almost everything, really, but we’re going to hit a couple of highlights today.
One of the primary determinants of hunger is low blood sugar. Well wait, if that’s true, shouldn’t whole grains keep you full since they raise your blood sugar? Nope, that’s the thing: grains send your blood sugar on a rapid roller coaster ride. It shoots up quickly and then plummets – this is why you can eat a big bowl of cereal for breakfast and find yourself starving an hour later. Of course you eat more to silence your growling stomach and the cycle repeats itself, keeping you in the vicious peak-valley blood sugar cycle. As Dr. William Davis, author of Wheat Belly, puts it – wheat is an appetite stimulant.
These rapid surges in blood sugar also activate the release of insulin – the hormone that allows glucose to enter into the cells. Insulin is a major player in the fat loss journey. If insulin is chronically high, you CANNOT be in fat burning mode. It won’t allow it.
Here’s what goes down when we consume carbohydrates. After it’s broken down into glucose, that glucose is first fed to the muscles. Storage there is limited and is used when you have short, intense bursts of physical activity. If the storage within the muscles is full, it’s next sent to the liver for storage. Again, this is a limited storage area. When the liver storage is full, the glucose is sent to be stored in fat tissue – unlimited storage capacity. Your body perceives these as critical stores in case of famine and does not easily give them up. Energy is much more easily obtained from your muscle or liver stores. Fat storage puts up a fight.
Insulin is what allows excess glucose (or protein or fat) to be stored in fat tissue. When insulin is high, fat storage is high. When insulin is low, fat storage is low. High blood sugar results in high insulin and therefore accelerated fat storage.
If you want to access your fat stores, burn that fat and move it out of your body, you MUST regulate your blood sugar, avoid those dangerous peaks and valleys and that will regulate your insulin activity.
Wheat is one of the most dangerous culprits when it comes to increasing blood sugar (and insulin). It not only stimulates appetite but also fat storage – a very counterproductive and unhealthy combination.
By adhering to the Primal Principles of constructing your meals around protein and vegetables and avoiding processed foods, you’ll go a long way towards reducing your wheat intake. Start there and you’ll notice improvements in your energy levels, mood and body composition.
