Metabolism and Weight Loss in Lafayette LA

The internet is such a wonderful thing, but there's so much health related information out there, that at times, it could be confusing/overwhelming. ESPECIALLY, regarding weight loss in Lafayette LA!

Fad diets enable us to lose significant amounts of weight, but then we inevitably rebound because keeping the weight off is not easy. The worst part? We wind up getting down ourselves when disappointment strikes. Losing 1-2 pounds per week is far more sustainable and realistic and until recently I have been following 4 methods religiously…

HINT: we talk about these daily in the clinic - so you may already be MORE than half-way there!

I recently came across a fantastic article by Dr. Sara Gottfried, MD, and in addition to the 4 dietary recommendations for sustainable weight-loss that I dish-out weekly at the clinic, Dr. Gottfried adds a 5th.

1. COCONUT OIL: Coconut oil resets your thyroid and thus, your metabolism. (A tablespoon of coconut oil goes into every one of my breakfast smoothies). If you haven't grown to love smoothies, just yet, Dr. Gottfried recommends using coconut oil in cooking as an alternative to sautéing fresh vegetables (in something other than olive oil).
2. PROTEIN at BREAKFAST: Not eating breakfast and walking out the door with nothing but a cup of coffee in your system is much like, "getting into your car, not turning on the engine and expecting it to run," says Dr. Gottfried. Breakfast jump starts the metabolism by setting you up for success for the day. For my patients that don't enjoy smoothies, a breakfast consisting of organic, grass-fed eggs with sautéed spinach or kale is not only nutritious BUT delicious.
3. *It's also important to note, that while jump starting your day with protein within a half-hour of waking is crucial, it's duly as important to stop eating around 7pm. Your organs also need to rest and digest and won't do that if you have the munchies and indulge until midnight. Allowing your body to "fast" ensures elimination, hormone balance and a really good night's rest - without proper elimination, hormone balance or good sleep - your fat stores are also out-of-whack, hence, you struggle with losing weight.
4. L-Carnitine: L-carnitine is made of 2 amino acids: methione and lysine. In 2011, a study showed that when you orally ingest 500-1000mg of L-Carnitine it reduces fat mass; increases muscle mass and reduces fatigue. L-Carnitine functions in facilitating weight loss by alerting your cells to insulin. (REMEMBER: being resistant to insulin contributes to weight gain because you need higher and higher levels of insulin to deal with glucose in your body which leads to hunger and unfortunately gaining weight.)
5. CLEANSE: More often than not, we simply aren't aware of how many high-calorie, refined foods we consume on a daily basis. When you do a cleanse, you also cleanse yourself of any food sensitivities that you may or may not know you even had! You don't need to spend a bundle on a fancy cleanse from this brand or that brand - all you truthfully need to do is to avoid gluten, dairy, sugar, caffeine and alcohol for 14 days. Avoiding these "trigger-foods" in combination with drinking a ton of water and consuming lean proteins (Wild Alaskan salmon, free-range organic chicken, free range organic turkey meat or grass fed beef) and non-starchy veggies (broccoli, kale, brussel sprouts, cabbage and spinach). Limit fruit during the two week period to allow the body to do a complete cleanse of sugar (fruit contains fructose!) This simple cleanse allows your "gut" to heal and allows the liver to purge toxins, thereby stimulating proper elimination. I dare you to give this cleanse a try! What's the worst thing that could happen? You feel light and energetic? Or even lose weight?! Hmm….
6. Omega-3's, Baby!: High quality Omega-3 fish oil is an EFA = Essential Fatty Acid (meaning it's essential because you need it to function, but your body doesn't produce it so you need to consume it from an outside source). Omega-3's not only lowers cortisol (that NASTY hormone that hijacks your fat cells and deposits itself on your waist) but lubricates your joints, promotes healthy skin, hair and nails. Why else do we LOVE our fish oil? Because they assist in covering nerves! Nerves are contained within a myelin sheath which is partially made up of EFAs (think about an extension cord - if we melt away the rubber what are we left with? A mess of wires!) So while, we watch the pounds melt away we can take comfort in knowing that we not only have got our nerves covered (pun intended) but we can enjoy more fluidity within our joints as well as glowing skin!

By Francesca Marino D.C.