In this article we are going to look for 7 definite ways for ladies not to lose weight. Some of them will be obvious and some of them will be contentious but I ‘ll ask you to save judgement until you’ve read the whole of the article.
Let’s dive in. The best way over the long term to keep body fat on is to count calories or starve yourself. The whole weight loss industry is based on starvation and deprivation diets from the pure silly to the downright dangerous. The body has built in safety mechanisms to protect against starvation and any fat lost through these methods is very rarely fat mass – it is usually lean muscle , bone and water. All of these tissues are metabolically active (ie they burn calories!) so reducing them is just dumb! Water loss and particularly bone loss can be very dangerous in a woman and this should be avoided at all costs.
The second best way for you ladies to keep hold of those pounds is not to move. Although vigorous exercise is best even climbing stairs, gardening, walking to the aroun the park or sex! can burn calories if you do them enough. Make regular physical activity a part of your weekly routine and throw in some of the above activities and your total calories burned will rise dramatically .
Next. Another great way for you to lose the battle of the fat mass is to not get enough protein. Many of the ladies I consult with are massively protein deficient (particularly if they’re vegetarian or vegan). Eating meat speeds up your metabolism and helps release the hormone glucagon from the pancreas which is a fat burning hormone. If you eat small amounts of protein, especially meat and fish, your pancreas only spits out miniscule amounts of this vital fat burning hormone so I encourage you to up your protein intake if you want to lose those pounds .
Number four on the list of the top seven ways to stay fat is fat phobia – I know it sounds strange but you must eat good fats to lose weight and then eliminate the bad fats. Saturated fats which were once labelled bad fats are now recognised to be necessary in small amounts, particularly if sourced from healthy animals. The real bad guys are the trans fats (or hydrogenated fats) – these are the chemically altered compounds which are often used to add flavour to foods and extend shelf life and are very damaging to not only your waist line but also your cardiovascular health.
The best fats for weight reduction and therefore generally the most ignored are the Essential Fatty Acids, commonly called Omega 3’s and Omega 6’s. These highly important little fats are highly anti-inflammatory and through other chemical means allow your body to burn more fat for energy.
Being chronically dehydrated, as most people are, is another sure fire way to hold onto those pounds. Not only does it mean you don’t digest food very well but it also means you’ll become constipated allowing many of the toxins in your body to be reabsorbed back into the blood causing liver overload which ultimately leads to you holding onto excess body fat.
We’re nearly there now. Item number six on the list for keeping weight on is to eat refined carbohydrates as though they’re health foods. Grains, pasta, rice are all fine for triathletes and marathon runners who do vast amounts of exercise but for the average 60 kilo female all it does is cause your body to produce more insulin than normal which will instantly add inches to your waistline.
The final nail in the coffin for fat loss is not getting enough fibre. As a society our fibre intake has dropped dramatically in the last century. This is partly lifestyle determined but it’s mainly due to convenience. Most people eat packaged convenience food that is devoid of fibre (and vitamins and minerals) in return for convenience and speed. Fibre slows down the absorption of food which means you feel fuller for longer – it’s also vitally important for bowel health and protection against a number of cancers!
We’ve covered a lot here and I know you may be going away with more questions than answers but I would suggest if weight loss is a goal for you then try to avoid the seven behaviours I outlined above for a minimum of four weeks. Then I’m certain you’ll be pleasantly surprised not only by the good news on the scales but also with a reduced body size, increased energy and a better outlook on life.