The “No Diet” Diet (part 3)

Weight loss and weight control are the goals of the “No Diet” Plan.  Remember the three-legged stool?  The first leg is commitment and determination, the second leg is eating healthy and supplementing wisely, and the third leg is regular exercise.  Our bodies are designed to be active, on the move and not sedentary.  But the body does not move automatically without our direction.  We must be the one in charge here.  So regular exercise is a function of will and determination.  Lack of physical activity is a prime contributor to overweight. And this is not just an adult problem.  Men's Health reports that roughly two-­thirds of all American children between the ages of 6 and 17 cannot pass a basic fitness test.. In the “No Diet” Plan, exercise is not just a means of balancing the slowing trend of metabolism caused by calorie restriction, but becomes even more effective in enhanc­ing energy levels and promoting body fat loss.

There are three reasons that exercise helps take off weight.

1. Food in and energy out. Even if you didn't change your eating habits, but started exercising regularly you would lose weight. Many people who exercise regularly report appetite suppression lasting up to several hours after exercise.  At the recommended exercise-energy expenditure of 300 calories per day, in 11 days you would burn off your first pound. This may not sound like much in the short term, but it adds up to 30 pounds over a year's time!

2. Afterburn. Beyond the arithmetic of calories, there is evidence that basal metabolic rate – the rate at which we burn calories - is increased after exer­cise for 4-24 hours. You continue to burn calories at a faster rate even though you have finished exercising for the day.

3. Increased lean body mass. Muscle uses more calories than any other part of the body. Movement makes high calorie demands so the more muscle you have the more calories you burn. In addition muscle produces fat burning enzymes. More lean body mass allows you to use fat as a fuel in a more efficient manner. The main factor governing your metabolism rate is the amount of lean body mass - muscle - in relation to your fat mass. As you lose fat and build muscle, your metabolic rate increases. You use more calories than you would at the same weight but with more fat. When you fail to exercise regularly, your muscles shrink and some of their protein is lost (dieting without exercising increases this phenomenon).  Muscle function can be improved by appropriate exercise at any age.

There are three basic types of exercise: stretching, toning and strengthening, and aerobic. Although the body needs all three, it is aerobic exercise that is most effective for fat loss. Exercise at a pace that brings your heartbeat to 60-80 percent of maximum. (Subtract your age from 220 and then figure 60 and 80 percent of that.) Do that for at least 30 minutes, at least three times per week. Work toward expending 300 calories per session. This means that if you use a low intensity exercise, you will need to engage in it for a longer time. Walking is an exercise that is rapidly gaining in popularity. A study conducted at the Physical Fitness Research Laboratory at Wake Forest University compared walking with jogging. After 20 weeks those walking 40 minutes per day four times a week showed similar effects to those produced by jogging 30 minutes per day, three times per week. Overall, greater frequency yields faster results. Your body will begin to put on fat in as little as 48 hours without exercise.

There is an impressive list of other health reasons for including aerobic exercise in our lives whether or not we need to lose weight. With regular exercise we can have improved general fitness and heart function, a healthier pattern of cholesterol in the blood (indicating a lower risk of heart disease), slower loss of calcium from the bones with lessened risk of osteoporosis, decreased anxiety and depression. The Journal of the American Medical Association reports that out of shape persons are 150 percent more likely to develop hypertension than those who are highly fit, so we can also anticipate low blood pressure rates.

Just as there are times when it can be more beneficial to eat, there are times when it is more beneficial to exercise. One of them is after meals. This may come as a surprise but light exercise (such as walking) taken 45 minutes after eating will burn 10-15 percent more calories than exercising on an empty stomach. Perhaps even better news is that exercising as long as 24 hours after an overindulgent day will burn off more calories than exercising after a day of moderate consumption. Further information shows that exercise in the cold leads to much greater fat loss than the same amount of exercise in moderate or warm temperatures.  In summary, it looks as though a brisk walk in the snow after a winter holiday party will give you the best return on your exercise time.

If you are not already exercising, start gradually. Look for excuses to walk, to climb stairs and to accumulate more ways to use calories by building muscle. It can take as long as two years to get the maximum benefit of your exercise program but it is an effective, safe and enjoyable way to life long weight control.

It is important to know that your weight usually changes little if any in the first weeks of an exercise program. This is because lean muscle mass increases at about the same rate that fat is lost. DO NOT BECOME DISCOURAGED. Your scale may show no change even though your body is changing dramatically. During this time, the way your clothing fits is a much better indicator of how well you are doing.

Don't bow to the diet saboteurs. The greatest of these is impatience. It will take time to reach your goal.  Any two people differ radically in body response and the same person may differ greatly within his/her lifetime. Through time the rewards to your health and well-being will increase as steadily as your body fat decreases.  Encourage yourself by charting your progress on a weekly/monthly basis, not daily.  The second saboteur is lack of commitment. Even before you begin, you must plan to make permanent changes in your way of life.

The “No Diet” Plan is the way to permanent weight loss and the maintenance of your ideal weight. You will look and feel great, perhaps better than you have ever looked or felt. Your victories may be slow but they will be gratifying. Your tastes will change and your cravings will go away because your body will like being fed nutritious, non-greasy food...regularly.  The No-Diet Plan is a very satisfying means of self-nurturing.

Health is not everything, but without spiritual and physical health, everything is nothing. Until next time we meet – may God Bless you with good health, with a little help from you!

The information in these columns is for educational purposes only and not to diagnose or treat any medical condition. Please consult your physician for any serious condition.

Len Rossi, ND has been a proponent of Natural Healing for 30 years. After a 25-year career as a pro wrestler, Len earned his Doctor Of Naturopathy degree in 1982 and is a Licensed Massage Therapist.