23/06/2021
Weight loss dieting
Weight loss
They are two main hormones that are essential in controlling metabolism (the process by which your body converts what you eat and drink into energy), insulin and Glucagon. It is essential to understand how these two hormones function, for you to be able to understand how the below weight loss eating plan coupled to exercise will help reduce your weight, and why which types of food and snacks are recommended.
Glucagon
Glucagon is a peptide hormone, produced by alpha cells of the pancreas. It raises the concentration of glucose (by stimulating the release breakdown of glycogen stored in the liver and muscles) and fatty acids (by stimulating the breakdown of fat tissue) in the bloodstream and is considered to be the main catabolic hormone of the body. When you're in a catabolic state, you're breaking down or losing overall mass, both fat and muscle, leading to weight loss.
Insulin
Insulin is a hormone created by your pancreas that controls the amount of glucose in your bloodstream at any given moment. It also helps store glucose in your liver, fat, and muscles. Finally, it regulates your body's metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.
So if you are eating a lot of carbohydrates or sugary drinks, you are stimulating your pancreas to produce more insulin. Insulin will lead to mopping up of the glucose (a breakdown product of carbohydrates) into your liver and muscle as glycogen. When your liver and muscle storage system has been exhausted you convert these excess calories, alcohol, or sugar in the body turn into triglycerides and are stored in fat cells throughout the body, leading to weight gain.
This weight loss diet coupled to exercise is designed to utilize the glucagon (by reducing or stopping carbohydrate consumption) to bring about a catabolic state (breaking down fat reserves for energy) that will lead to weight loss.
Weight loss diet (see Figure below)
No sugar intake (fizzy drinks, juices, or any sweet stuff).
No fatty foods.
½ (Half) of the plate to have vegetables.’
¼ plate lean meat (maximum 100g), steak, fish, or chicken breast
¼ plate complex carbohydrate-grains, unrefined, starchy. vegetables (Skin during weight loss); Include after reaching desired weight.
Daily walking of 10 000 steps at least.
Daily weights (help to track your progress, and give you positive feedback if you are eating well, and alerts you when you are not eating the right stuff by recording a gain in weight,
How does it work?
Cutting down or stopping eating carbohydrates reduces your glucose blood level that stimulates the secretion of glucagon.
Glucagon leads to the breakdown of the glycogen stored in your liver and muscles, and exercises/walking accelerates this breakdown and utilization of glycogen.
When your liver and muscle storage are exhausted, glycogen then stimulates the breakdown of your fat stores to produce energy using these fats, hence the beginning of weight loss.
Of note also, fats produce more energy compared to glucose, hence during this stage, you will be energetic and alert.
Meals
You are to eat the three main meals. Breakfast, lunch, and supper.
Two snacks between the main meals (protein or fruit-based).
One snack after dinner.
The nature of snacks to be taken is indicated on the figure below together with the vegetables that make up half of your plate.
Please note this diet also is suitable for diabetics, in which they don’t skip the ¼ whole grain or starchy vegetables.
