Dr. Kerry Grann: It’s not a diet, it’s a lifestyle

Is this just another diet (or weight loss) program? I ask myself this loaded question as I take a seat beside Dr. Kerry Grann at this Amway lunch to launch BodyKey by Nutrilite (but more on this a wee bit later) at Hotel Inter-Continental Makati. I know you must have tried more diets than you can count, including eating in the dark (because some smart aleck told you that eating calories in the dark doesn’t count). So, today, let’s sit back and listen to Dr. Grann as she talks about this “not-a-diet-but-a-lifestyle” program.

But first, the grim statistics: Did you know that the World Health Organization formally recognized obesity as a global epidemic in 1997? That in 2015, there will be 2.3 billion overweight adults in the world, of whom 700 million will be obese? That 25 percent of people in the Philippines are overweight or obese?

Once just an issue for wealthy nations, obesity now affects countries at all economic levels, bringing a host of health issues and lost productivity. As we all know, excess body fat is associated with a lot of chronic health conditions and a poorer quality of life.

Because one size does not fit all, the Nutrilite Health Institute’s weight management approach accommodates diverse personal and lifestyle factors. NHI has fashioned a global assessment tool to evaluate your results and generate personalized research-based recommendations based on your diet, meal habits, mindset, activity, stress, and sleep.

Leading researchers believe that in addition to the right caloric intake, a successful diet should include the right balance of protein, fat, and carbohydrate, which can vary from person to person.

“Knowing what kind of diet works best for your body type can help you lose weight more effectively and keep it off for the long term,” asserts Dr. Grann. “Studies show some people are more sensitive to carbohydrates, so insulin is not working properly. Insulin is the hormone that helps lower our blood sugar, so when it stops working, we become diabetic. When it’s working well, it lowers our blood sugar by moving that sugar to other areas of our body for storage. One of the key places it will take that carbohydrate to store it is the muscles so when we need it for energy, it’s right there. A little bit will be put in the liver and relatively little will be converted to fat, and so we’re able to maintain a fairly lean physique when insulin works well. Overtime, if we eat too much, particularly too much carbs, insulin will be constantly secreted and it will get kind of tired and stop working.”

Your BodyKey assessment will tell you whether your meal habits are good or they need improvement. The largest body of investigation into long-term weight loss identifies that eating breakfast every day can lead to long-term weight management success. So, enjoy your breakfast! Multiple studies show that eating your largest meal earlier in the day is an effective weight loss strategy because it curbs the tendency to overeat later in the day.

Fact is, we live in a high-stress, high-pressure environment, and when we’re stressed out, we don’t make the best food choices. “There’s a lot of unhealthy food that’s readily available to us — foods high in calories, fat, sugar,” says Dr. Grann. “Portion sizes continue to increase so we’ve somehow lost our perspective of what an appropriate portion size is.”

Dr. Grann anxiously adds, “We also see income play a role, because as food prices continue to increase, the affordability of healthy fresh food is not always good so people may be forced to consume a high-calorie, high-sugar, high-fat diet.”

Now, we know what not to eat. But what exactly should we be eating to ward off the unwanted/hated fat? According to BodyKey, the appropriate food choices should include a colorful variety of healthy foods that are nutrient-rich (with vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients), such as:

• Whole fruits and vegetables that are raw or slightly cooked.

So light, so right: Nutrilite’s quality products are backed by 80 years of expertise.

• Whole, unprocessed grains such as brown rice, oatmeal, barley, quinoa, and whole-grain breads and pastas.

• Lean protein sources like tofu, beans, legumes, fish, eggs, lean meats, and poultry.

• Calcium-rich foods such as milk, yogurt, cheese.

• Monounsaturated fats, including olive oil, avocados, nuts and seeds.

• Omega-3 fats like flaxseed, walnuts, salmon or other cold water fish.

“There are a lot more factors involved than just calories in vs. calories out,” stresses Dr. Grann who comes armed with a scientific background, doctorate in public health, and certification as exercise physiologist from the American College of Sports Medicine. “We are leading a lot more inactive lifestyle. We’re spending a lot of time in the car, particularly if we live where there’s a lot of traffic  (touche to that!). We’re playing with our electronics more (instead of playing outside). We’re not getting the level of physical activity we used to get. Physical activity in one’s daily life is extremely important to have long-term weight management success. But we know it can be a struggle for some. Start slow and get to your personal best. WHO says we should be moving, not exercising, about two hours per day. The eventual goal is 10,000 steps a day. We should get people moving towards a healthier lifestyle.”

Luckily for the workaholic Dr. Grann, she has a dog that she has to walk.  “That helps me insert some physical activity into my daily life.”

Yes, malling is counted as physical activity. “As long as you don’t stop to buy,” a doctor once told me.

If you want to reach your goals much faster, get moving — increasing your energy expenditure helps your body use insulin more effectively and has beneficial impacts on stress, mood, and sleep.

 Research also shows there’s a much higher prevalence of overweight and obesity in people who sleep less than seven hours.  “We know that sleep deprivation impacts on a lot of hormones that are important in weight management,” notes Dr. Grann.

BodyKey provides practical advice to help people get sleep quality. Dr. Grann, who will not prescribe a sleeping pill, says, “Follow your circadian rhythm — sleep when the sun goes down and wake up when the sun comes up. Limit the use of electronics before bed. Limit eating and drinking about four hours before bedtime; avoid MSG, caffeine, alcohol, gas-inducing foods. Create a comfortable sleep environment — dark and quiet room, comfortable temperature, bed, and pillows.”

But of course, it’s easier to adopt a new, healthier lifestyle (for a new, healthy you) if you have confidence in your ability to change. The BodyKey assessment will tell you whether your nutrition and exercise mindset is certain, confident, optimistic, uncertain. The program offers ways to improve your mindset so you can get on it — and stay on it in your journey towards optimal health.

So lite, so right, Nutrilite fits perfectly into this weight management program. “It’s not a quick fix but a holistic lifestyle solution that meets your nutritional needs on your journey to weight management,” describes Dr. Grann.

Nutrilite meal replacement shake is health in a box: It combines the ideal balance of protein, fiber, and 25 essential vitamins and minerals to help you feel full, preserve lean muscle, support digestive health, and keep you feeling energized. Recommended use is once a day, preferably replacing dinner.

Mixed with 250 ml. of low-fat milk, the formula meets all the scientific requirements of a complete, well-balanced meal — 15 g. protein, 5 g. fiber, 12 vitamins, and 13 minerals. It has 50 to 60 percent less sugar than Positrim with zero trans fat.

“With 50-percent less sugar and less lactose (than the older product), with a lot fewer gastrointestinal effects, this meal replacement drink makes it easy for you to make sure you get all the nutrition you need with reduced calories,” Dr. Grann points out.

She adds with a big smile, “We think it tastes pretty good, too (it comes in delicious chocolate and vanilla flavors). Our scientists in our Ada, Michigan facility, who are experts in consumer product research, want you to enjoy the experience, and not torture yourself while managing your weight because this is something for your life.”

This new product went through a stringent taste mapping by Amway’s sensory panel. “They can sense products that the average consumers can’t because they’ve been trained. They help ensure we have a nice balanced flavor — not too sweet, salty, sour or bitter. They help us identify what a good mouth feel is, nice texture when you’re consuming it. They develop some prototypes and we test them with our consumers to narrow down the sensory profile for that region. So, the product in Southeast Asia is different from Korea. People in Southeast Asia tend to like it a little sweeter, kind of creamy, with lots of flavor and no aftertaste.”

All this taken together, we’re looking at four to eight-percent reduction in body weight in two months.

The complete Nutrilite kit also contains Nutrilite All Plant Protein, Nutrilite Fiber Blend, and Nutrilite Double X (31-day supply) to get you started on your personalized path towards achieving your weight loss goal for life.

You just have to weight and see.

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For more info on the BodyKey by Nutrilite program, visit www.bodykey.ph.