Articles on Weight Loss

ronercat

An article that I read recently was focused on the fairly common idea that the amount of sleep a person is getting can have a large impact on weight loss. The article brought up several interesting points that help explain why inadequate sleep can lead to weight gain or slower results for those trying to lose weight.

In a study done for overweight adults they had one group sleep for 5.5 hours a night for 14 days and another group sleep for 8.5 hours. In the end the group with less sleep ended up losing 55% less body fat than their fully rested counterparts. It also explained that the weight the sleep deprived people lost was made up of less fat and more lean body mass.

I also liked one thing they said and I will just quote it here. “Successful weight management is complicated, and a good understanding of the root causes of weight gain and barriers to weight management is essential to success. The solution is not as simple as “eat less, move more, sleep more.” However, an accumulating body of evidence suggests that sleeping habits should not be overlooked when prescribing a weight-reduction program to a patient with obesity.”

Link: http://www.cmaj.ca/content/early/2012/09/17/cmaj.120876

blondageh

Wow. That could explain a lot since I wake up just about every hour.

PatrickB_87

The article I read covered the 'Halo' effect and how habits affect those closest to us. The affect is usually used to describe issues with smoking and drinking. Instead of negative affects it looked at the positive affects weight loss has on the health and weight of close family members and friends. In particular the researchers looked at weight loss surgery patients and the weight of obese and overweight friends and family. The friends and family of patients who lost weight also drooped weight. Particularly those who went along to doctors meetings through the process, usually up to 5%. Thats enough to make an impact of obesity related health issues. It highlights the social aspects of weight loss. In group or team weight loss exercises, people who lost the most weight were usually un the same group. Close relationships around weightless can build supportive relationships that help everyone loose weight. In the same way that close relationships in unhealthy eating can cause everyone to gain.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/03/12/148330045/gain-together-lose-together-the-weight-loss-halo-effect

ronercat

That was a very interesting article. It is nice to think that some of our good choices might rub off on those around us.

catladyksa

That halo effect is very true...when I was home this summer my sister-in-law who has gained a bit of weight (I am being nice here in case she is lurking around any of the forums!)......was fairly quiet when I was home and she was listening when I was discussing my weight loss and my attempt at power walking/and jogging every day....and she decided to do something for herself and she is now walking and working on her weight loss journey as is my sister who does not need to lose any weight in my eyes...but she is walking a lot now to get more fit. So that halo effect does really work!! Great article, thanks.

catladyksa

An article that I read recently was focused on the fairly common idea that the amount of sleep a person is getting can have a large impact on weight loss. The article brought up several interesting points that help explain why inadequate sleep can lead to weight gain or slower results for those trying to lose weight.

In a study done for overweight adults they had one group sleep for 5.5 hours a night for 14 days and another group sleep for 8.5 hours. In the end the group with less sleep ended up losing 55% less body fat than their fully rested counterparts. It also explained that the weight the sleep deprived people lost was made up of less fat and more lean body mass.

I also liked one thing they said and I will just quote it here. “Successful weight management is complicated, and a good understanding of the root causes of weight gain and barriers to weight management is essential to success. The solution is not as simple as “eat less, move more, sleep more.” However, an accumulating body of evidence suggests that sleeping habits should not be overlooked when prescribing a weight-reduction program to a patient with obesity.”

Link: http://www.cmaj.ca/content/early/2012/09/17/cmaj.120876

Interesting read....hummmm I will have to give this some thought. I only get about 5 to 6 hours a night..just because I automatically wake up and can't go back to sleep. But I also wake up every 1-2 hours so I don't sleep solid. This may have some valuable information for me to ponder!! Thanks.

KarenZen

Wow... you guys have been busy! Both of these sound like great reads! I saw a related sleep article about how sleeping in a cold room causes extra brown(?) fat storage... Will need to find that again.

KarenZen

Thanks, Zac, for the piece on sleep. I knew that grehlin was an appetite stimulating hormone but didn't know it played a role in fat retention too. I'm probably a walking bundle of grehlin if sleep deprivation causes its release! After my sleep study past friday, I got a new cpap mask that has helped a bit, but my sleep issues aren't resolved. I was just going to let it go, but now not so much.

Also good read on halo effect, Pat. So far, Jim has not gone to a single meeting or appointment with me for my bariatric stuff except the colonoscopy/ endoscopy because I was under anesthesia. I noticed, though, after that appointment that it became more "real" and he started talking about changing his own eating, so I'm going to ask him to go to my next appointment. I would be thrilled to see him address his weight--his family has a terrible history of heart disease and early stroke, and he's 49, 100 pounds overweight, with high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Over the last few years he has stopped working out because he gets fatigued too easily. My biggest fear is that he will die much too young, and I'll lose this brilliant, kind, caring, funny, beloved man. So yes, HALO please!

Can't wait to read more!
K.

KarenZen

My article discusses the neurobiology of food addiction. It's a very dense read in parts, but even if you skim over some of the statistical analyses, you should get some very interesting information.

This topic is a favorite study of mine right now. I've been seeing an eating disorder therapist off and on for three years, and although I kept telling her that what I experience with food feels like an addiction, she kept reminding me that in her field, they don't recognize the idea of food "addiction." Until recently! Studies at the Yale Center for Obesity Research confirmed that the name neuro pathway dysfunctions that occur in the brains of substance abusers (alcoholics, drug users) occur in the brains not only of self-identified "food addicts" but in the majority of morbidly obese people in their studies.

This article does some summary work on various findings in the field and gives background information on the reclassification of substance dependence to "substance use disorder," a classification that can now include eating disorders. This group is markered by loss of function of brain reward systems and also activation of brain's stress systems. Rats given a choice between regular rat chow and a "cafeteria" menu of high fat, high sugar, high calorie foods always chose the cafeteria and continued to choose it EVEN when threatened with electric shocks. Not only did the food trigger release of dopamine (our feel good hormone), but it created malfunctions in the release of gut/fat hormones like leptin that help to control appetite, signal hunger and satiety, and regulate our metabolisms. YES, if I were a rat at the buffet, I WOULD keep eating the goodies even if I were being shocked. I mean, really, what's a little jolt of electricity?

Further, studies have shown that response to food differs by gender. For women, carbohydrates have an almost medicinal value... AND, dammit, over time we develop a tolerance to this medicinal value and need more and more carbohydrates to create the same effect.

Sadly, the article confirms that the brains of people who engage in a hedonic relationship with food change in ways that not only reinforce food consumption but also impair our ability to derive pleasure from activities other than eating. So... the only solution may be medication. (I think of smoking as a good example. I smoked from age 14 until age 44. I tried everything to quit--hypnosis, the gum, the patch, cold turkey, snapping rubber bands, you name it. Then six years ago I tried Chantix, a nicotine receptor blocker. Within a month I was cigarette free. I continued taking Chantix for three months and haven't smoked since.)

Hidden in the article, though, was a little tidbit about how exercise can decrease some of the effects of these brain changes, especially ones that occur in utero.

We CAN create new neuro-pathways, right?

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-obesity-an-addiction/?page=1

blondageh

Wow, great summary and article Karen!! Food is absolutely addicting. Anything that gives you a temporary feel good and keeps you coming back despite the negative affects is addictive.

I am loving this challenge. Time to work on mine.

blondageh

My topic I decided to tackle is Plateaus. The reason being is I was losing 10lbs a month for the first 4 months and then BAM! Down to nothing for 2 months.

Article 1: The Real Reason the Scale Won’t Budge

\http://www.everydayhealth.com/columns/johannah-sakimura-nutrition-sleuth/real-reason-scale-wont-budge/

The article suggests that the real reasons for a plateau, most likely is you are slacking off.
In the beginning we are all gung ho, we avoid eating out completely, politely decline every splurge, measure every plate of food, and record every last baby carrot. But over time, we tend to ease up on the reins, and if your calorie intake creeps upward, your weight-loss pace will most definitely slow, or perhaps even come to a halt. (Yup - I am definitely guilty of this)
However your metabolism will automatically start working against you.

If you continue eating the same number of calories, but your body gradually uses fewer and fewer every day, you may hit a plateau, often around the 4- to 6-month mark. (Ding Ding Ding! - This is probably why I seem to quit every year between 4-6 months!)

A phenomenon termed "Metabolic Adaptation" can happen where an obese person who drops more than 10 percent of his or her body weight may require 200 to 500 fewer calories at this new lower weight than someone who has always been at that weight. (Geez, that sucks)

The research has also shown that you will not burn as many calories as before from exercise. Your muscles become more efficient and it takes less work to move them. (Dang, I was thinking the more muscular you became, the more calories you will burn, but this sort of contradicts that, huh?).

Their suggestions for moving past or avoiding a Plateau are:

Exercise - Exercise harder and longer. One study said the people most successful at maintaining weight loss burn an extra 2500 calories a week or about 1 hour of aerobic exercise 5-6 times a week!! (ACK!)

That is the end of this article but I read another one that discusses other options for breaking through a Plateau:

Article 2: 5 Plateau Busters to Overcome Weight Loss Resistance

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jj-virgin/5-plateau-busters-to-over_b_5650773.html

This article suggests doing the following to break through a plateau:

1. Calorie Cycling - Based on the theory that hormones play a significant role in weight loss, one option is to mix up your daily routine so your metabolism doesn't become stagnant and used to the calories you consume. They suggest mixing up low and higher calories days. They said it doesn't have to be drastic, maybe just cutting out a snack on one day and having it the next.

2. Address Food Intolerances - Inflammation, insulin resistance and weight loss resistance can all be caused by certain foods. The suggestion is to eliminate the following for 3 weeks and see if you lose weight:

- Gluten
- Dairy
- Corn
- Egg
- Peanuts
- Soy
- Sugar and Artificial Sweeteners.

(This is basically taking your diet to the bare minimum. I guess all you would eat are lean proteins and veggies? Some fruit? When I first started on my path again in April, I wasn't even allowed to have fruit for 2 weeks. This may be something I need to go back to to get that scale moving again) Boo.

3. Intermittent Fasting - Another mice study where they let one group eat all day long and the other only eat during a span of 8 hours. They both were allowed the same amount of calories, however the fasting mice weighed less. They had improved insulin sensitivity, lowered inflammation and improved levels of leptin, the satiety hormone. The article suggests eating a good breakfast and lunch and then creating a 16 hour fasting window.

(Again, this contradicts previous reports how we need to eat every few hours to keep our metabolism going. Also, I wonder if this will work if you ate just dinner and after dinner? Hmm…)

4. Become a sugar sleuth - Basically cut out all sugars you are aware of plus some you might not be. For example: instant oatmeal contains over four teaspoons of sugar and Greek yogurt about three teaspoons of added sugar. Other offenders include vinaigrette dressings and sweetened almond milk.

(Karen is always on us about cutting out the sugar and I know I have heard flavored Greek Yogurt isn't that great for you, but I eat one of those a day at least. Add to that the dressings and whatever else sugar is hiding in.. Ugh. Again, it is better to go back to basics. Lean Protein, Veggies)

5. Protein shakes - Add high quality protein powder (20-25 grams) to Kale and blend. Replace two meals with this. This has shown more weight loss that is actual fat while persevering your muscle. (Again.. I am noticing a pattern, lean protein and veggies).

So, that is what I have taken from those 2 articles as to what I need to do to break through this plateau and get back on track.

Here is what I am going to do:

1. Get back to the accountability of weighing, measuring and looking at the types of foods I am eating.
2. Protein/Veggies Protein/Veggies Protein/Veggies Protein/Veggies Protein/Veggies Protein/Veggies
3. Exercise more and harder

:flowerforyou:

catladyksa

Heather....THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! i so needed to see that information you posted. It does make sense....I have hit a plateau, but I know I have caused it...and your articles have explained why. They really hit the nail on the head!!! I am going to re-read and copy and paste the information and post it at my desk and on my mirror and in my kitchen!! I can't really see me doing 1 hour of exercise 5-6 days a week...but I need to start to move again and log my food!

Many thanks.
Nancy

KarenZen

Great, Heather! Exactly what I needed to read today.

The exercise physiologist I've met with for the bariatric program also suggested doing interval training, so instead of just swimming at a moderate pace, I should swim five minutes as hard as I can, then ten minutes leisurely, then another five hard, and so on. Our bodies get really good at conserving energy, and this shakes things up.

My next article will be on the caloric needs of the formerly obese/long term obese, because like Heather posted, the formula if different for the obese, which explains why I need to drop below 1500 calories to lose when I should be around 2400.

Thank you all for such good info.!

Karen

ronercat

http://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2013/09/04/the-6-weight-loss-tips-that-science-actually-knows-work/

The article I read this week was one that did not focus on a specific topic, but rather spent time talking about the things that science has proven will actually help weight loss. The article points out that there is an astounding number of articles coming out about a new miracle cure or one easy trick to weight loss. As we all know that isn't the case. There isn't some magic element , special diet or arcane ritual (If there were you can bet your britches I would be purchasing ritual robes and ingredients right now) that will cause the pounds to just fly off. Losing the weight is going to take work and maintaining the loss will take work as well.

The article goes on to list six things that actually will help with weight loss. The list includes:

Dieting trumps exercise: Here is merely states that if you only diet or only exercise the one that will help with weight loss is the dieting. Both together is of course the best plan.

Exercise can help fix a "broken" metabolism. If you begin moving your body every day after a long time being sedentary your metabolism will head back towards normal. It may never get all the way back, but it will be closer.

You are going to have to work harder than other people. After being obese or overweight for an extended period of time and then losing weight you will have to work harder to maintain the new weight than someone who was never obese to begin with. It sucks, but understanding that will help in the long run.

There is no magical combination of foods. There is no one food combo that acts like a cheat code for our metabolism.

A calorie is a calorie. Regardless of where the calories are coming from a deficit in daily calories will lead to weight loss. It is possible to overeat healthy foods, but it is much less likely.

It's all about the brain. In the end it isn't the body or the metabolism that is causing weight gain it is the brain. Poor decisions lead to weight gain and over time those decisions lead to a major change in the way the brain governs. the good news is that it is repairable. Once a new pattern has emerged the brain will stop fixating on the way it was before. It won't happen overnight or even in a few months, but eventually there will be a change in mentality and in the power of the cravings.

KarenZen

Interesting article, Zac!
I clicked on a link just below it for another Forbes article that explains more fully exactly what damage a high fat/high simple carb diet does to the brain (in particular, the hypothalamus, which signals release of leptin and grehlin, two hormones that help regulate metabolism and appetitie) and what can help repair that damage. Definitely worth a read too.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/melaniehaiken/2013/08/21/the-real-secret-to-losing-weight-from-a-top-expert/