Jeff's Thoughts

• The Big 5 for Weight Loss – Part 1

  14 April, 2011

  I have always been asked what someone has to do to lose fat. Frustratingly so the question is often asked at parties while the person is drinking alcohol and eating a slice of pizza. Although the answer is often more complicated than “eat less and exercise more”. Sometimes insulin sensitivity, toxicity, stress – both physical and hormonal, quality of sleep, inflammation and various other components play a crucial role. However as a personal trainer in wellington I thought I would bite the bullet and give the dogmatic answer to a complicated question (How do I lose fat?). If I do think about it, the clients that have achieved great things with me have all done certain things in common, and here they are,

  Part 1.

  1. Alcohol.

  This was not supposed to be in order, but any personal trainer in Wellington will tell you there is a reason why this is first. Because it was what was at the top of my mind. Yes I am sorry to say that alcohol is a major component in weight gain. Several things make alcohol a notoriously bad weight gainer.

  The sugar in both beer and wine helps to increase blood glucose (sugar in the blood). As a result insulin is released which helps to distribute the sugar around the body including putting it to fat.

  However alcohol also decreases the conversion of androgens (male sex hormones) to testosterone. This will increase the amount of estrogen that someone has (both females and males). If someone has high levels of estrogen, according to the bosignature hormonal profile test, they distribute their body-fat on the chest (estrogen is a female sex hormone) and if this site is increasing in bodyfat (man boobs) then that is a sign that there is so much estrogen (the body is converting the androgens into estrogen instead of testosterone) in the body and that the body is literally becoming feminine. This is what causes unusually large bodyfat on the chest for guys. With high levels of estrogen and low testosterone you will struggle to lose body-fat and have man boobs (which is not cool).

  The wheat in beer may also cause an allergic reaction in most of the population due to a wheat intolerance. This does not mean you start sneezing but could cause lower abdominal swelling, bad skin and create the inability for you to absorb essential nutrients and vitamins. Because of the lower abdominal bloating, you will look fatter that what you are.

  I have also noticed I have not even mentioned the amount of calories yet which is a significant factor. Alcohol has to be dropped or at least reduced if you want results. How much you reduce it depends on how much results you want.

  If you are going to drink (which I am not promoting) Pinot Noir has got the best reputation for health. It has the highest level of antioxidants and lowers your testosterone the least.

  Part 2.  Next Week – Juices (yes sorry, they are bad).

   

   

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