Burning The Fat

General nutritional advice:

Did you know that when you eat more regularly, your metabolism will increase, increasing your energy expenditure? The human body is cleverer than you think. If you don’t eat regularly, your body will start using your fat reserves. Good you may think, but hear this. This will trigger a response called ‘famine mode’ also known as ‘starvation mode’. So after an extended period without food your body will store more fat when you next eat to prepare for the next bout without any food intake, thus the fat piles on. Yes you will be fat burning whilst storing even more!!! This is similar to what happens during a crash diet, only you continue to burn fat, usually until you come off the diet which is when your body stacks on the fat in-case of a similar escapade, and that would be the ‘famine mode’ response.

Nutritional pointers

• Eating every 3 hours would be optimum for an increased metabolism.
• Aim for 5 portions of fruit and veg a day
• Eat fruit at breakfast with cereal or a glass of fresh juice
• Add salad to sandwiches
• Add fruit at dessert
• Add more veg when cooking main courses

Carbohydrates (Sugars)
This will make up the largest part of your diet usually about one third of your diet.

Carbohydrates are classified into two categories – simple and complex. Complex carbohydrates are complex in structure due to its molecular structure making it more difficult for the body to break down. The body requires energy too whilst breaking down food and more energy will be used to accomplish this. Because Complex carbohydrates take longer to break down their release into the body and circulatory system is much slower. Conversely, simple carbohydrates are released quickly into the blood stream; the pancreas will sense the increase in blood sugar and release lots of insulin. Insulin is the key to unlocking the cells to let nutrients in thus helping to lower the sugar levels. The higher the sugar levels the higher the levels of insulin, the more nutrients will be absorbed into the cells.

Complex carbs come into two major groups usually ‘refined’ and ’unrefined.’

White Pasta bread and rice all undergo processes adding bleaches to change their appearance and removing the fibre that make them more desirable for the consumer by reducing the cooking time. This makes them more starchy and will increase the absorbs ion rate into the body upon consumption. This aside from all the chemicals you will consume.

The glycaemic index is a table that can be used to see the rate of absorbs ion the macronutrients enter the body.

Complex carbohydrates will consist of foods such as:

• Potatoes refined and unrefined: - rice, pasta, bread, (maltose)
• Simple carbohydrates:
• Cane sugar (sucrose), fruit sugar (fructose), (Glucose) formally Dextrose.
• Milk (Lactose)

Proteins (Amino Acids)
Proteins are the building blocks of the human body. There around 22 types of Amino Acids (arguably). Some of these are classed as essential and the remainder non-essential. This doesn’t mean that we don’t need all of these but, what it does mean is that the human body can synthesise the non essential aminos from other proteins but we do need to rely upon a healthy balanced diet in order to get the rest.

Meats and fish and dairy should have all or most aminos within them but nuts and seeds will have to be combined to achieve a total combination of AA’s. These food groups would be classified as complete and non-complete proteins.

Fats (Lipids)
Fats come into 2 main groups. These are saturated and Un-Saturated. Before we move on I’d like to quickly explain that this is very complex and whatever point of view is put across, we are virtually guaranteed to upset somebody. I would like to give you what information I can and hope you find this information useful.

Trans fats

Synthetic man made fats formed during a process called hydrogenation, by which the chemical structure of the molecule is changed. This has what is seen as a good tool for the manufacturer. This will enable the fat to increase its longevity, makes the fats much softer and it can be used time and time again. Perfect for shelf life, soft margarine and oil for take-aways. For the consumer the health benefits can be catastrophic. Research almost conclusively shows that trans fats are linked to cancer.

The molecular structure of the lipids are changed during hydrogenation so the trans fats will been recognised by the body but not used, rendering the cells useless and left floating around as free radicals within the body.

Saturated Fats
Usually derived from animal fats, people view this area as the root of all evil. Not sure why. If your sat fats is from a grass fed organic source expect a healthy amount of sats fats within the meat. About a third of fats should come from Saturated fats.

Unsaturated fat
These can be found in vegetables and oily fish eating small amounts help keep the immune system in good condition.

Fat Soluble Vitamins
Fat-soluble vitamins are absorbed, together with fat from the intestine, into the circulation. Any disease or disorder that affects the absorption of fat, such as coeliac disease, could lead to a deficiency of these vitamins. Once absorbed into the circulation these vitamins are carried to the liver where they are stored.

Vitamins A, D, E and K make up the fat soluble vitamins. Vitamins A, D and K are stored in the liver and vitamin E is distributed throughout the body's fatty tissues.

Water Soluble Vitamins
Water-soluble vitamins, such as Vitamin C and the B vitamins are stored in the body for only a brief period of time and are then excreted by the kidneys. The one exception to this is vitamin B12, which is stored in the liver. Water-soluble vitamins need to be taken daily.

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and the B complex group make up the nine water soluble vitamins. The B complex group comprises of vitamins:

• B6 (pyridoxine)
• B1 (thiamine)
• B2 (riboflavin)
• B12 (niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, folic acid and cobalamin)

Vitamin sources, uses and deficiency problems

Vitamin A (fat-soluble)

• Sources : Dairy products, eggs, liver. Can be converted by the body from the beta-carotene found in green vegetables, carrots and liver.
• Uses : Maintains the health of the epithelium and acts on the retina's dark adaptation mechanism.
• Deficiency leads to : Keratinisation of the nasal and respiratory passage epithelium, night blindness

Vitamin B1 (thiamine) (water-soluble)

• Sources : Yeast, egg yolk, liver, wheatgerm, nuts, red meat and cereals
• Uses : Carbohydrate metabolism
• Deficiency leads to : Fatigue, irritability, loss of appetite; severe deficiency can lead to beri-beri

Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) (water-soluble)

• Sources : Dairy products, liver, vegetables, eggs, cereals, fruit, yeast
• Uses : Intracellular metabolism
• Deficiency leads to : Painful tongue and fissures to the corners of the mouth, chapped lips

Vitamin B12 (water-soluble)

• Sources : Liver, red meat, dairy products and fish
• Uses : Essential for manufacturing of genetic material in cells. Involved in the production of erythrocytes
• Deficiency leads to : pernicious anaemia

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) (water-soluble)

• Sources : Green vegetables and fruit
• Uses : Essential for the maintenance of bones, teeth and gums, ligaments and blood vessels. It is also necessary for ensuring a normal immune response to infection
• Deficiency leads to : Scurvy

Vitamin D (fat-soluble)

• Sources : Fish liver oils, dairy produce. Vitamin D is formed in the skin when it is exposed to sunlight
• Uses : Has a role in the absorption of calcium, which is essential for the maintenance of healthy bones
• Deficiency leads to : Rickets

Vitamin E (fat-soluble)

• Sources : Pure vegetable oils; wheatgerm, wholemeal bread and cereals, egg yoke, nuts sunflower seeds
• Uses : Protects tissues against damage; promotes normal growth and development; helps in normal red blood cell formation
• Deficiency leads to : May cause muscular dystrophy

Vitamin K (fat-soluble)

• Sources : Green vegetables
• Uses : Used by the liver for the formation of prothrombin
• Deficiency leads to : Bleeding due to delayed clotting times caused by lack of clotting factors. Patients may show signs of bruising easily and have nosebleeds.