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Women over 40, we know the drill. Despite our best efforts, middle-aged ladies gain weight in perimenopause — especially around the waist — even while dieting.
When women want to lose weight and fat, the natural instinct is to eat less and exercise more, which may cause metabolic stress and raise cortisol levels. Uptown/Downtown spoke with The Biggest Loser and Sexy Solutions’ nutritionist Nadine Tengco on how to fight middle-age weight gain.
Eat the right food, at the right time, in the right amount
Eat every three to four hours, hungry or not. Eating smaller meals more frequently keeps blood glucose at bay and helps tame hunger. Studies have shown that even among people with essentially the same calorie intakes, those who eat fewer times per day are likely to weigh more because small, frequent meals keep metabolism elevated.
Increasing metabolism through diet is achieved by controlling blood sugar throughout the day. If blood sugar falls below 80mg./dl., the body reacts by slowing down metabolism to save energy, which leads to fat storage.
Eat within one hour of waking up to stabilize blood sugar. Dinner should be no later than 8 p.m. but a very light after-dinner snack can be eaten at least two hours before bedtime.
Track (not count) your calories. Eating the right food at the right time will keep you satisfied and full longer so your chances of overeating is actually minimized. Think of your plate as divided into four equal sections: use one quarter for protein, another quarter for whole grain starch, then fill the bottom half with veggies.
Reduce stress
The body has a set of similar responses to a broad variety of stressors whether physical, mental, emotional or psychological. Stress initiates the body’s fear response of survival, which is the production, storage and conservation of fat.
If stress persists more than 24 hours, the body adapts in order to reduce the effect of the stressor and guarantee survival:
• The body releases amino acids that increase appetite for energy storage. Even if a person does not give in to hedonistic eating as a result of this increased appetite, these amino acids will also stimulate fat cells to grow in size and number.
• To conserve energy, the body downshifts metabolism, making it inefficient at burning calories and efficient at storing fat.
• Fat is stored in the omentum — the abdominal fat depot. Visceral fat is closer to the solid organs as compared to the subcutaneous fat in thighs and other parts of the body making it the best source of immediate energy. This type of fat, packed in and around the organs of the abdominal cavity, is a chemical factory that secretes hormones and other substances that cause inflammation and other harmful effects on metabolism, weight and overall health. These fatty tissues produce inflammatory cytokines that make cells resistant to insulin so that blood glucose floats around without being absorbed and used appropriately by needy cells. The liver absorbs the excess glucose and converts it into free fatty acids, which are then stored as fat on the hips, thighs, etc.
• The adrenal glands release cortisol, a stress hormone that falls into the category known as “glucocorticoids,” referring to their ability to increase blood glucose levels. Prolonged stress means chronic high blood glucose levels, which in turn encourages fat storage and insulin resistance. Cortisol is also “catabolic,” which can cause muscle tissue loss by facilitating the process of breaking down and conversion of muscle protein into glucose. Reduced muscle tissue means reduced metabolism, which again makes the body inefficient at burning calories and efficient at storing fat.
Drink the right beverages
• Lemon water — Lemon juice improves digestion, elimination and detoxification. Improved digestion is equals to better nutrient absorption and less bloating.
The lemon water drink before breakfast will stimulate digestive juices and peristalsis, the muscular contractions that move food along the entire digestive system for efficient elimination. Lemon juice increases bile production, which gently detoxifies the liver.
A daily glass of lemon water before breakfast will aid fat metabolism, since the liver is an important fat-burning organ. Since it is also a mild diuretic, the lemon water will help reduce water retention (manas) and swelling.
• Tanglad water — Polyphenols in lemongrass are potent anti-inflammatory agents. Lemongrass is also a mild diuretic and can help aid digestion and detoxification.
Try replacing at least 80 percent of total water consumption in a day with lemongrass tea or tanglad water. Lemongrass tea is refreshing and better tasting than water. If it tastes better, you’re likely to drink more of it.
• Salabat — It is a traditional Filipino tea made with crushed ginger. Ginger contains substances that promote elimination of intestinal gas, reduce inflammation and soothe the digestive tract.
The following are to be avoided as much as possible while on a detox diet that fights inflammation:
• Beverages — alcoholic drinks (wine, beer, spirits, liquors); sugar-free/diet colas and diet teas, sports drinks, packaged fruit juices, bottled juices and instant iced teas.
• Grains, noodles and flour — oats, egg noodles, cereals and anything with gluten or made from wheat and wheat by-products like white or wheat bread, semolina pasta, rye, white flour, etc.
• All dairy products including yoghurt, butter, cream, cheeses, etc. Substitute with almond or rice milk and its by-products.
• Processed and cured meats like salami, hotdogs, bacon, pastrami, etc.
• Margarine, shortening, lard, etc.
• Ketchup, patis or fish sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, prepared salad dressings with preservatives.
• Pancake syrup, white and brown sugar (use coco sugar), all artificial sweeteners.
• MSG and all artificial preservatives.
• Candied, cookies, cakes, donuts, gelatin (except real agar-agar), pastries, pizza, processed food, smoked or pickled food.