Alcohol

Ethyl Alcohol is a toxin, and although a rich source of calories, the cells of the body cannot use it as “fuel”.   Alcohol must first be converted to acetic acid through a specific series of biochemical reactions.

Alcohol contains 7 calories per gram. Alcohol is ultimately converted to a molecule of glycerol. Glycerol is one of the major components of triglycerides (fat), thus it promotes the production of fat.

Mixed drinks (hard liquor) have no health benefits and are empty calories.  They must be avoided until maintenance due to the production of glycerol.

Beer is inherently high in carbohydrates, but worse its main sugar is maltose, a disaccharide composed of two sugar molecules of glucose.  Due to this, beer will spike your blood sugar – even low carb beers can be a problem if consumed on a daily basis.  They must be avoided until maintenance due to their carbohydrate content, as well as the production of glycerol.

Red Wine can be consumed in moderation and has shown to have some positive health effects.  However, all wines must be avoided until the maintenance phase due to their carbohydrate content, as well as the production of glycerol.

Alcohol WILL make you overeat and it does prevent your body from breaking down body fat. The body sees alcohol as a toxin, so it will break that down first preventing the breakdown of body fat. And it gives a false sense of confidence that you can ‘undo’ whatever you ‘did’ the next day.  It will take your body 2-3 days to get back on track.

Plan: Avoid alcohol completely.  By its very nature, alcohol is a MOOD ALTERING SUBSTANCE.  After one, you will literally have a harder time saying no to the second because it has altered your mood since you started drinking. Alcohol and weight loss just do not go together.

Don’t Forget About Your Food Diary

Your time on this program is a perfect chance to build awareness and create new habits that will make maintaining your new weight very easy. There’s a reason that we ask you to record what you’re eating in a food diary – if you have to write it down, you’re more careful of what you eat.

Researchers identified that those who journaled during their weight loss plan achieved the best results.  People who recorded daily what they were eating lost twice as much weight compared to those who journaled once a week or less often.  This tells us that the ability to lose and maintain weight has a lot to do with being conscious about what we are eating.

With that in mind, we've made it easier than ever to journal with our Healthie app.  You can even photojournal by simply taking snapshots of your meals throughout the day!

“Those who kept daily food records lost twice as much weight as those who kept no records. It seems that the simple act of writing down what you eat encourages people to consume fewer calories.”

~ Dr Jack Hollis, a researcher at Kaiser Permanente’s Center for Health Research

Here is the article that discusses the trial done by Kaiser Permanente’s Center for Health Research - http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/114298.php

What Foods Have The Good Carbohydrates Your Body Needs?

Our goal is to have you choose good carbohydrate sources.  We want to teach you to avoid carbohydrates that spike your insulin, and to choose carbohydrates that do not stimulate a large insulin response.  In the long term you want to consume between 120 to 150 grams of carbohydrates per day when you reach maintenance.  However, you cannot rely solely on nutrition labels to help you with this because they do not tell you how much insulin will be produced.  We recommend that you choose more natural types of carbohydrates, such as vegetables, legumes, beans, and fresh fruits, and avoid processed foods like chips, cookies, and ice cream.

Here is some useful information for finding excellent sources of carbohydrates. - Resource from the Harvard School of Public Health - http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates-full-story/

Remember during Phases 1 & 2 you’ll be limiting even the amount of these good carbohydrates.


“Our demand for meat, dairy and refined carbohydrates – the world consumes one billion cans or bottles of Coke a day – our demand for these things, not our need, our want – drives us to consume way more calories than are good for us.”

~ Mark Bittman

Constipation: It’s More Important Than You Think

You might think that with all the fresh vegetables you're eating with the Ideal Weight Loss method, that constipation would be the least of your worries. Well, unfortunately, it's common. Here's why...and what to do about it.

It's important to talk about this because you may not be seeing weight loss if you are constipated.  If you are not having a daily bowel movement please talk to one of your coaches about this, and the severity of your constipation issue. Don't ignore the problem - be sure to stay ahead of it!

There are a few solutions that are helpful. Listed below are two examples of the methods that we can talk to you about at your appointment.

Peri-Colace – This is a gentle stool softener, which is safe and effective.  We recommend that you purchase the generic version, which will cost you less money.

Senekot-S - This is a gentle laxative and stool softener (in a pill format), used as standard treatment in all US and Canadian hospitals. We recommend that you purchase the generic version, which will most likely costs 50% less. You should follow the instructions as indicated on the bottle.

Magnesium Citrate - This inexpensive, clear liquid laxative is available in generic form at most any drugstore.  It can tend to be a little harsh if you use too much, but because it's liquid you can work your way up to a level that works for you. This can be helpful for an 'emergency situation' with constipation.

CALM - Magnesium is a mineral that can exert a counterbalancing effect against constipation (unlike calcium which can tend to worsen it).  Peter Gilham's CALM is a powdered supplement that's rich in magnesium and can be very helpful in countering constipation.  It usually works rather gently.  You can purchase it online or at many health food stores.

Why You’re Done with Yo-Yo Dieting

Many people are concerned that once they reach their goal that they will regain the weight they just lost.  This is not an issue on the Ideal Weight Loss plan because you are not losing muscle as part of your weight loss.  We are having you eat the minimum amount of protein your body needs to sustain its muscle mass.  This is important because it keeps your metabolism going.  

Other calorie-restricted plans that do not focus on feeding your body the minimum amount of protein, often cause your body to lose fat and muscle as part of your weight loss.  The result of losing muscle slows your metabolism, which can result in weight gain once you resume a balanced diet.  

Rest assured, as long as you follow your healthy eating plan there is no need to worry about weight gain.  Plus, we have designed a Maintenance Plan to help ensure you keep your new weight!

Pasta, Pasta, Pasta!

In most households pasta is a family favorite. The only problem with pasta is that we tend to be heavy handed with the portions. Not to worry, we have some tips you can use to help make your pasta dishes healthier!

First, let's give you some information about pasta.  Did you know that Americans eat 6 billion pounds of pasta each year?  With that in mind, try thinking of pasta like you would bread or rice, and they are essentially long chains of glucose, which in large amounts can be harmful because it's digested quickly.  Did you know that cooking pasta just to the point of al dente helps slow digestion? Because pastas can be digested so quickly it is best to think of them as a side rather than the main dish.

Here are some tips to improve your existing pasta dishes:

• Choose whole grain pasta over refined pasta - Traditional pastas are made from refined grains.  That means the fiber found in the outer layer has been stripped away. Eating a diet rich in whole grains is associated with reduced cardiovascular disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes and premature death.
• Reduce portions - It is easy to eat multiple servings of pasta in one sitting. Did you know that portions served in a restaurant are 2 to 4 times larger than the actual serving size? Try swapping out half of the pasta with vegetables or even beans when making your next pasta dish. Adding frozen vegetables to a tomato based sauce is an easy way to add bulk and keep things lower on the glycemic index. Or, why not make vegetable ribbons using a peeler or spiralizer with zucchini or summer squash - you can also buy them already prepared in some stores. In addition, try swapping our half of the meat with vegetables in pasta dishes.
• Choose a healthy sauce - Try creating your own sauce with low sodium and low sugar canned diced or crushed tomatoes. Over medium heat you can  add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a large pan along with one minced clove of garlic and 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes.  Saute for 30 seconds and pour in a 28 ounce can of crushed or diced tomatoes.  Add in 2 teaspoons of oregano or even an Italian herb blend and you're well on your way to a tasty sauce. Heat for 15 minutes. To keep things a little simpler you can just purchase a no sugar added low sodium marinara sauce.  Avoid cream sauces as they can be higher in calories. Top with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.  Keep cheese to a minimum as it can add a good dose of sodium, so a strong flavored cheese like Parmesan works well as you only need a small amount.  Did you know that there is some evidence showing that the fermentation of many cheeses may play a role in lowering type 2 diabetes and could have metabolic benefits? Stay tuned as more research is needed.

Reference:  Health & Nutrition Letter, Tufts University, January 2018, VOL. 35, NO.11, Healthy Meals with Pasta (p.4&5).

Lowering Triglycerides

Many of you are familiar with the terms LDL ("bad cholesterol") and HDL ("good cholesterol"), but the term triglyceride may be something new for you.  Essentially, triglycerides are the other blood fat that you may have measured at your doctor's office.  In addition to cholesterol, triglycerides help gauge your risk of cardiovascular disease.

Triglycerides can move through your bloodstream, be stored in your body tissues, or used for energy.  Did you know that if you eat too many carbohydrates that your body can make triglycerides and store them in your fat cells?  Keep in mind, that if you have elevated triglyceride levels that you can be at an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Right now, a quarter of Americans have high triglyceride levels - 150 mg/dL or more after an overnight fast.

With that in mind here are some ways to keep your triglyceride levels in check:

Lose Weight - Losing 5-10% of excess weight is associated with a 20% decrease in triglyceride levels. Visceral fat (i.e. fat stored in the abdominal region around your organs) is strongly related with triglyceride levels, so losing belly fat would be very helpful!

Be Active - Exercise helps activate an enzyme that breaks down triglyceride. However, that effect stops after about 48 hours so you need to incorporate some form of cardiovascular activity at least every other day for 30 minutes.

Reduce Carbohydrates - Refined sugar, alcohol, and other simple of refined carbohydrates have a big impact on your triglyceride levels.  To reduce them try swapping whole grains for refined carbs like white bread and rice, baked goods, breakfast cereals and beverages with added sugar, and candy and sweets.

Decrease Alcohol Intake - Simply put, alcohol increases your triglyceride levels.  If you're levels are already high start by drinking less. For example, if you have a glass of wine with dinner every night, try have one every other night.

Be Patient - It takes time to see a reduction in your levels. However, it is worth it to practice the tips above because you will see a positive effect over time. With that in mind, a healthy eating plan along with exercise can help not only achieve and maintain your weight, but also keep your triglycerides levels in check!

Reference:  Healthy & Nutrition Letter, Tufts University, January 2018, VOL. 35, NO.11, Lower Triglyceride With Diet (p.6)