Did you see ‘Lose a stone in 21 days’ on Channel 4? — Dr Michael Mosely, former GP and science journalist carried out a weight loss experiment with five participants having himself lost nine kgs after a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes eight years ago.
Since lockdown, we have spent an extra £19m on biscuits and sales of alcohol have doubled. Two thirds of us have admitted to putting on weight. Various reasons for this are cited as:
1. More takeaways
2. Increase in alcohol consumption
3. Comfort eating – due to loneliness
4. More snacking whilst at home more
5. Mum’s cooking
The participants were clearly very unhappy about having put on weight. One said she was ‘ashamed’ another said he’d ‘let himself go’, and another – who was the largest of all said she ‘felt lonely’ and realised she had been comfort eating. I found the human element very touching and raw. These real people were brave and willing to share their feelings to a very large audience with no guarantee of a good outcome.
This TV programme was also highly motivating, because it showed that dramatically improved health markers and fast results are totally possible. Many health experts believe rapid weight loss is not healthy, but if you do it properly it can be. Speed builds momentum and opens the mind to a wealth of possibilities.
Mosley says ‘there isn’t a better time than right now to lose weight because we know that obesity, and type 2 diabetes both massively increase your risk should you get covid 19’. Mosley lost weight and really wants to inspire and motivate others to do the same. He was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetics on insulin have a life expectancy of 10 years less than average. His diagnosis was a massive wake up call for him to take action.
I know exactly how he feels, because I lost weight over twenty years ago. Being slim saved my life according to my Consultant, after an operation in hospital led to a dangerous haemorrhage and very close call. You realise just how valuable your health is when something like that happens to you.
Having a kick-start of motivation can really help with momentum. Very low calorie diets such as the 800 calorie a day one in this study should not be carried out for more than 12 weeks. Mosley also formulated the 8 week blood sugar diet based on an 8 week scientific trial carried out at Newcastle University. The research was funded by Diabetes UK and showed that following a very low calorie diet for 8 weeks led to a fantastic weight loss. Significantly it resulted in a reduction in the amount of fat in the liver and pancreas, and a restoration of insulin reduction. This led to actual reversal of high blood sugar levels in people recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. No drug could do that.
As shown in the TV programme, weight lost in the first three weeks is a really good predictor of how it will continue. Results are not only motivating they give massive momentum to keeping going! Habits then need to change for life and it’s not a short-term fix. It was pointed out how important is was to be careful of what to add to provide more energy without weight gain, as 800 calories a day is short-term.
It’s not all about weight loss. Improving your nutrition actually bolsters the immune system should you get any virus. Just as this TV programme series was never really all about the weight. Losing weight is the fastest way to improve your health and live a good life. Those were the meaningful takeaways! But you do have to want to do it yourself.
The secret of continued weight loss is accountability. Mosley’s GP wife, Dr. Clare Bailey gave out plenty of delicious low carb low calorie recipe cards. He then said ‘I’m going to make you all accountable to me, because I’m going to see you at Christmas’!
Five participants lost over five stone between them and reduced their waist measurements. They dramatically improved health markers such as bad cholesterol, high blood pressure, pre-diabetes, low vitamin D levels, and reduced life expectancy.
There was a great need for celebration after just three weeks. Mosley said ‘you need to celebrate when you have made an achievement’.
Going forward, he said ‘the really important thing for the participants is having good accountability either to someone or something’.
This was absolutely life-changing. One participant said, ‘I feel like I am back in control again’ and ‘quite proud of myself for losing so much weight’. They agreed the experiment ‘made us accountable for continuing on a journey’. One participant wanted to make certain that ‘eating healthily’ was sustainable and ‘for the rest of my life’. Another said she was ‘doing this for myself and for my family’ and wanted to encourage them to do the same.
Covid has focused the attention onto health. Seeing other normal people get great results is really inspiring. If they can do it, so can you. It was a positive feel-good show, despite some bleak warnings. ‘Come the winter there is a chance Covid will re-emerge’. I believe Mosley said this to ensure people stayed on course, and didn’t forget.
‘You have now to do something about it’, ‘during the summer’ said Mosley and whilst the daylight hours are still fairly long. The benefits are huge. Has this inspired you to change your beliefs and mindset about what you thought was unhealthy before?
Another piece of news this week was an article by Dr. Michael Mosley about how to stay full when on any weight loss programmes because one of the the biggest challenges when losing weight is feeling hungry.
That’s why so many people avoid even trying to lose weight because they don’t want that feeling. It is also a psychological negative because food is seen as a treat or reward. From a young age we are given chocolate, cake, sweets, biscuits and crisps when we are good. We move onto adulthood and this becomes wine, alcohol and fast food as well as snacks.
I know how hard it is to break out of the habit cycle of turning to these trusted friends, particularly if you are struggling with anything in your life. Food and alcohol are comforting.
The three things to remember are :Fluids, (Healthy) Fats, Protein and Fibre
Water
Most of us are walking around in a constant state of dehydration, totally unaware of the health risk of being dehydrated. Do you ever feel sluggish, lethargic, and even hungry even when you’ve only just eaten? This is because hunger is often mistaken for thirst. Drinking plenty of water can help you feel fuller for longer, so ensure you stay hydrated. I would add that coffee, tea, unsweetened almond and nut based milks are another great way to ‘up’ the fluids. And alcohol doesn’t count!
Healthy fats
We’ve been told all our lives to avoid fat. The food industry profits from this advice that all fat is fattening with a vast range of sugary low-fat diet foods. It’s not making overweight people thinner. In fact, more people are becoming overweight and obese. It is sugar, and high fructose corn syrup that causes weight gain and fat/weight gain comes from eating too many foods that turn into glucose quickly in the body. Did you know that ‘good’ fats – such as olive oil, fatty fish, nuts and seeds powerfully reduce the appetite, because they decelerate the rate at which the stomach empties and so enables you to feel fuller for longer?
Fibre
Our guts contains trillions of good friendly bacteria which eat off what we eat. The more fibre we eat, the happier our guts become. Fibre also positively affects our mood with a concept known as the gut-brain connection, with extra good-mood chemicals that are picked up by your brain. This is even more important in 2020 as we have become so much more aware of the impact of mental health on our lives.
Fibre also starts the release of a chemical called “PYY” which reduces appetite. Vegetables are a great way to add bulk to the diet without excess calories, and the variety and colours make the dishes look appetising too!
Eat more protein, and eat it first
Protein helps you stay full and it reduces your hunger hormone, ghrelin. It also boosts the levels of a peptide hormone which causes satiety. Just by slightly increasing the amount of protein in your diet can help you to feel more satisfied after meals. It doesn’t have to be meat or dairy either. A chemical called tyrosine (a building-block for dopamine) – rises inside the brain as a result of having more protein. Dopamine is also known as the feel good/pleasure hormone. Eating more protein increases your own dopamine supply specifically as your next meal approaches. This means that the brain experiences a much weaker dopamine ‘hit’ from high-calorie foods. Timing of eating protein also makes a difference.
Incorporating a higher level of protein into your diet is crucial when weight loss is your goal.
High protein foods include lean meats, poultry, eggs, dairy products and vegetarian sources such as nuts, seeds and legumes.
Add in ore of the good stuff and reduce the processed food to 10%
Did you know why it’s so hard to give up fast food? The good stuff like protein, fluids and healthy fats have positive effects on the brain and junk has the opposite effect. Processed food is addictive and affects the brain in a negative way. Think of it this way. Could a food be advertised if there was not a company that formulated it? Have you ever seen an advertisement for plain spinach?
To sustainably lose weight and maintain those comforting feelings of feeling fuller for longer, just incorporate a few positive steps into your daily life. Add in more ‘good’ foods – especially good fats and fibre – and steer clear of the processed, heavily promoted advertised stuff. Increase the protein, and eat it regularly. Remember if your gut bacteria are happy, so are you!