I am starting this blog with just the essentials of weight loss - and will elaborate further at a later date. My background is medicine with, in addition, a PhD in Biochemistry - specialising in intermediary metabolism.
Anyway, to the issue at hand - weight loss. It really is easy - just realise that sugar is your enemy - not oils and fats - SUGAR is the problem. Cut sugar out of your diet and eat normally - eat as much fat as you like - it is good for you - as long as you don't eat sugar. You can eat unrefined carbohydrates - e.g. oats (porridge) - but try not to eat too much refined carbohydrates like flour. A little will not do any harm - unlike sugar which you really must avoid.
Just as bad as sugar is alcohol - very difficult to lose weight if you take more than one unit of alcohol a day (at the most).
So, to lose weight just cut out sugar and alcohol. You don't need sugar in your diet and you certainly don't need alcohol. And, really, eat as much fat as you like - after all, it is fat that satisfies ones apetite and will prevent you from being hungry all the time. And remember the places where sugar hides - fruit yoghurt, most cereals, most processed foods, sweet biscuits, fruit juice (rather eat whole fruit). There are of course many others but these are the main ones.
So, at the risk of being boring, here is what you need to do to lose weight:
- no sugar
- no alcohol
- as much natural fat / oil as you feel like - avoid man-made fats, e.g. trans-fats as found in margarine and many biscuits
- Don't starve yourself - if hungry have a cheese sandwhich with as much cheese and butter as you like - just no jam (it has sugar)
- Avoid processed foods
- Eat a reasonable amount of meat - preferably organic
- Eat as much vegetables as you like - preferably raw - or, at least, not over-cooked
- Take in vitamin C / anti-oxidants regularly through the day (like the apes do) - e.g. have a tray of raspberries and or blueberries (any coloured fruit really - the skin of red apples is great) lying around and eat a few every few hours. It is the colour in the fruit skin that has the anti-oxidants that fight infections and prevent oxidants (like the sun and food additives) from damaging your DNA and thus helps prevent chronic diseases and cancer. Vitamin C is metabolised fairly rapidly and, furthermore, is excreted from the body via the kidneys. So, it is mainly wasted if taken once a day in a large dose (e.g. 1,000 mg in the mornings is largely wasted and blood levels are down to zero 4 to 8 hours later). Far better to take small doses (in the form of fruit / berries) through the day - like the monkeys and apes do!
- Go for a 40 minute walk every day. If you are unfit start with just 5 minutes , slowly - and gradually increase the distance / time. It (the walking) should never be a chore - a one minute walk is better than nothing. But "just do it". We - humans - are made to exercise every day. This generates endorphins (in the brain) which make us feel good and prevents depression. Think of your daily walk as a medicine (if you don't like it) - it is essential to generate those endorphins to prevent depression.
- Can't think of anything else for the moment - will add and elaborate with time.
Good luck - and "JUST DO IT !!!"