Eating In Moderation IS A LIE

 I wrote about hormones back in March 2014 because of sudden weight gain and extreme fatigue. I reached out in desperation, to a friend, Dr. Sean Patterson in CA who specialized in female hormonal issues (Thyroid, Adrenal, and Weight Gain) http://www.drseanpatterson.com

I wanted to update, 6 months later how it's going and what I've learned about sugar now. Brace yourself. You may not like it. (Don't hate the messenger). 

I did all the things Sean told me to do: 

1) Go on Adrenal Support Supplements and rehabilitate my adrenal glands. 

2) Get off Sugar (because I was pre-diabetic and now insulin resistant). 

3) No alcohol (don't drink sugar calories)

4) No wheat or gluten products (there is a gluten molecule called Gliadin that looks like (and mimics)  the Thyroid gland, and it can stress your immune system out). Also wheat and gluten products have a higher glycemic index that quickly turns to sugar. 

5) Stop over-exercising (for my body type) because it raises my cortisol levels. And since my adrenals are tanked, I can't stress my body out. I was only allowed to walk 30-60 mins a day. He allowed me to continue to teach my yoga classes but only because it’s a gentle therapeutic, restorative yoga class. The day I teach 3 classes in one day, I don’t do anything the next day but rest (maybe stroll around the block with Fred).  

At first, I was in commando mode (I normally am when presented with a challenge). I can do this; I got this. No problem. After 1 month, I had a bit more energy (now on bio-identical hormones) but felt overwhelmed navigating around food choices and socializing. My brain had to catch up with this new way of living and eating. I was consciously incompetent. 

I wanted to become consciously competent and then eventually unconsciously competent (yeah, I know, it’s a tongue twister and mind bender).

To help educate myself more, I used  Dr. Berg’s 7 Principles of Fat Burning concepts. I know I say this a lot about meditation and yoga, but seriously, THIS book CHANGED MY LIFE!!! After all these years, I FOUND THE MISSING LINK to why I yo-yo’ed with my weight. I finally understand why I have not been able to get under a size 12 for the last 15 years. It IS about hormones. Hormones (not calories) tell our body to burn fat or store fat. 

In the 7 Principles of Fat Burning, there are 4 Body Types: Thyroid, Liver, Ovary, Adrenal. 

My whole life, I was an Ovary Body type (the hippy girl). After my hysterectomy (not having ovaries anymore) my body immediately became an Adrenal Body Type (all of a sudden this saggy belly). In the book he talks about what to eat and not eat (much of what he had to say, Sean had already told me….but it was more in depth). Rich and I read the book together. 

Here is what I’ve learned after 6 months: 

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS EATING IN MODERATION. It’s a LIE (probably by the food industry). If you do eat in moderation, have at it. But don’t complain about the 10-15lbs (or more) that you can’t lose. I look back on my own life and see now why I’d put weight on (or carried) an couldn’t take it off, and why I just got ‘acceptably bigger’ for my height and age.

Truth is, you can ONLY eat in moderation (IMHO) if you have a stellar metabolism, you are under 35 and nowhere near peri-menopause, or you naturally work out like a maniac—meaning it’s how you’re wired. If you are naturally skinny…we secretly hate you….but don’t take it personally….we just do. ;-)

I used to think it was about calories in and exercise out. No problem. I love to work out. I love being outside. I love to move. 

However, it’s NOT about exercise. It’s about our hormones and our stress levels. (Insulin & Cortisol). Our hormones affect our metabolism. And how much sleep are you getting? We lose more weight (in the Delta state) when we get good sleep. I am still working on this. If we are not sleeping well (which for me, shifted in my 40’s…and I’m now 50), your fat-burning capacity is seriously diminished. 

Here is the bad news or the enlightened news--depending on if you're a glass is half full or half empty kind of person.

One 80-calorie cookie can stop your fat-burning capacity for 2-3 days, depending on how healthy you are because of the insulin and leptin. Sugar (and gluten too) raises your insulin levels which messes with your hormones. Energy and weight loss will only happen if you balance food intake, sleep, and get proper exercise for your body type. If you are over-producing insulin your body will convert it to fat. If you eat that birthday cake at work (which usually sucks), you will stop your fat burning capacity for days. Sugar will shut it all down. You can't work sugar off enough. 

We need to get healthy FIRST before we can lose weight. The 7-Priniciples of Fat Burning showed us how to eat and workout based on our body type. 

Rich and I took it seriously. He was pre-diabetic too. This is our health; we are not getting any younger. Health wise, turning 50 came with a serious wake-up call. It was a blessing in disguise. We talk about it every day (counting the days off sugar and grain like it’s our AA meetings). We know if we go back on sugar, we will be in trouble. The weight WILL come back on. It’s about our hormones and insulin level, not exercise. We have to look at sugar like crack cocaine. 

By the way, watch the documentary called FED UP about sugar and the food industry and how it’s killing us as a country with the rise of diabetes and obesity. (Don’t even get me started on how greedy corporations are are messing with our brains with sugar everywhere). This movie may help you know what’s going on and maybe get you mad enough to fight the system. 

You know why only 2-5% lose the weight and keep it off? Hormones! And they watch their sugar intake. I'd like to be a 2%-er five years from now. I only will be if I stay off sugar. If I think I can eat in moderation and know what is happening day to day in my body, hormonally, I'm fooling myself. Now I know why all those Biggest Loser people gained weight back. A calorie is not a calorie. There is no such thing as eating in moderation. 

The reason the messaging from the advertising and fitness industry tells us we can eat in moderation is so we don't hurl ourselves off a cliff.  Our limbic system is SO attached to food that we can't possibly think of living without sugar (for some people it's bread). We are a society that has been brainwashed to believe that we can have whatever we want. So they told us: get off our couch and exercise, don't be lazy, cut your calories. WRONG. Exercise is good. Keep doing it. The body was created to move. But get off sugar, and over time, you'll get your figure back. Even better, you'll have energy again and repair your hormonal systems (and maybe a few others). It won't be overnight (especially if you are a peri-menopausal or post menopausal women or over weight man or woman). But if you want to be healthy, if it means that much to you, getting off the Twinkies and Hershey Bars is worth it. 

Fun Foodie Facts???

**A 20-oz bottle of soda contains the equivalent of approximately 17 teaspoons of sugar

**It will take a 110-pound child 75 mins of bike riding to burn off the calories in one 20-ounce bottle of soda.

**In 2012, Americans consumed an average of 765 grams of sugar every 5 days, or 130 pounds each year.

**Individuals who drink one to two sugar-sweetened beverages per day have a 26% higher risk for developing type II diabetes. 

A few tricks I've been using. 

1) If you travel, bring your own food.

2) Do your own cooking. 

3) Practice saying 'no thanks' Feed your body not your pleasure centers.

4) If you have a craving, smell it. Yep, use that olfactory bulb. The power of smell will influence your pleasure center in the brain. Smell whatever you want to eat and drink for up to 90 seconds and cravings will pass. I've had people pass me their potato chips or margarita so I could smell it. I tell myself, "I've had EVERY food and drink under the sun in my lifetime. I know what this tastes like. I don't need it." And if I really need it, I recall it with my mind. Yeah, kind of Zen stuff, but it works. 

5) Once you are off sugar for 2-3 weeks, the hormones level out and the cravings disappear. I have to watch myself socially (have some self-talk) and I'm fine. Sugar is a legal addiction in our society [see above brain scan picture]. It will take time to get off it just like nicotine or alcohol. Be kind to yourself. 

6) Find things that you can replace or substitute that are healthy. Rich likes brownies and I like cheesecake. We make it with Xylitol (a natural sugar wood alcohol that doesn't mess with your blood sugar. Many diabetics use it). But be careful not to over do it. It can affect your adrenals and digestion if you over-do-it on Xylitol. Now that Rich is in maintenance, he can add honey back into his body and he hasn't gained weight. 

To date, Rich has lost 37lbs. The guy eats salad like it's a treat. His mother would be flipping out if she saw him. He's hardly worked out too (only walks here and there with me over the summer). And, he no longer snores or has chest pains. He looks incredible. I have not lost that much or that fast. I was on steroids and antibiotics in the spring from asthma and pneumonia. I’m following behind him. I refuse to get on the scale to ‘know my weight’. Numbers mess with my head. I don’t want to be identified with a number. However, I do get on the scale each week and Rich tells me if I’ve gone down. That is all that matters to me. Dr. Berg says that you can't loose weight until you get healthy. If I've lost 1/2 pound per week, it's a good week. It means my body is healing. I've read dozens and dozens of books on weight loss through the years. NOW I finally know the missing link and how to manage weight loss: hormones. 

 For the first time in our dieting history, I don't obsess about food anymore. Now that I'm off sugar, it's not causing cravings and messing with my hormones. We’ve eaten well, and eaten a lot: yummy things (legal cheesecake, pizza, brownies, scones), but we’ve never gained. As long as we eat clean and stay away from sugar and grains, we are safe. 

6 months later, my energy levels are okay. I know someday they will be great! Sean wasn’t kidding when he said that it would take two years to rehabilitate my adrenals. I can have energy one minute and then BAM, I’m down for the count; feels like I just got done running a marathon. This isn’t always convenient (and my sweet husband has done more than his share when I have to take it easy). I’ve had to make defining choices about how much I can handle (other people’s energies, and my own) and manage it. We’ve made HUGE lifestyle choices that will help bring more healing to the body/mind/spirit….in order to STAY healthy.

4 months ago, I started a private FB support group (ladies only) for women who wanted to GET HEALTHY FIRST…..AND THEN LOSE WEIGHT. The group is based on the book, 7-Principles of Fat Burning. The group is here to support and encourage each other with grace and high-fives. We share what’s working and what’s not working. It’s a safe place to figure it out. Many of the women (especially those who are actively participating) are losing weight. There have been some amazing success stories of 25-50lbs lost so far by some of the women. If you’d like me to add you to the group, I’d be happy to do that. :-)