FAT LOSS – BEHAVIOURAL INFLUENCES: IMPLICATIONS
1. The purpose of counselling is to empower clients so that they can develop an awareness of their habits, prioritise those things to work on and be selective about those techniques most appropriate for the task.
2. Fat loss leaders need to develop a close liaison with professional psychologists for referring complex cases.
3. In dealing with habits, the first stage is to develop an awareness of the components of the habit.
4. There is a range of techniques for changing behavioural habit patterns including interrupting stimulus-response connections, changing the stimulus, reinforcement and self-monitoring. Not all techniques work for all people.
5. Negative thinking habits can be worked on using standard psychological techniques such as rational emotive therapy, positive thinking, etc.
6. Behaviour modification and cognitive therapy techniques need to be maintained over the long term and not just used in the initial stages of fat loss. This takes longer than most people anticipate and a realistic expectation is important.
7. It should be assumed that the majority, if not all, overfat problems require at least a modicum of change in habit patterns. The degree to which this is so and the types of approaches used to combat these will depend on the individual and the circumstances.
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MACRONUTRIENT BALANCE
There is some inter-conversion between nutrients such as protein being converted to glucose (gluconeogenesis) for release into the bloodstream, but under normal conditions, the capacity to convert one nutrient into another for storage is very limited. Also, humans have little capacity to ‘waste’ extra energy by burning it off. This process, which has been termed luxuskonsumption, is common in animals such as rats but is very limited in humans. Therefore, the examination of each macronutrient as a separate entity is necessary and is summarised below.
Carbohydrate. Carbohydrate stores (glycogen) are very small and tightly controlled in the body. Only relatively small increases in glycogen storage capacity can be gained, for example by the carbohydrate loading techniques employed by endurance athletes, which may increase stores by up to 2,5 times the normal amounts. Carbohydrate calories from the diet keep this small storage space topped up but are mainly used for current energy needs and displace fat as an energy source. Carbohydrate is, therefore, a second priority fuel for energy use, after alcohol. Unlike alcohol and fat, carbohydrate and protein are the main regulators of appetite by satisfying hunger and producing satiety. While the exact mechanisms for this are not known, parts of the complex cascade of responses are being discovered and they appear to involve stretch nerve fibres in the stomach, hormones released from the gut, increases and decreases of certain nutrients in the blood, and a whole series of neurochemical responses in the brain. The final target for appetite control is in the hypothalamus in the brain. Carbohydrate, like protein therefore, is ‘fully balanced’ by influencing both its own burning and satiety mechanisms.
Myth-information. ‘Fat metabolisers’, which are generally forms of amino acids, are often claimed to ‘convert fat to body fuel’. However, scientific assessment shows they are substances which are easily synthesised by the body and have no effect on body fat.
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FEED YOUR BODY RIGHT: HE HIT THE ROAD TO WEIGHT LOSS SUCCESS
Rob Christie credits a cooler with helping him lose 60 pounds.
A fortysomething entrepreneur from Shreveport, Louisiana, Rob had been thin for most of his life. That changed when he decided to start his own business. Soon, he was practically living in his car, hustling from one sales call to the next. When he grabbed a bite to eat, it was usually at the nearest fast-food restaurant.
Five years and hundreds of cheeseburgers later, Rob was severely overweight and out of shape. His low point came the day he found himself lying in bed, unable to move because of intense back pain. “I knew my lifestyle and the extra weight were contributing to the problem,” he said. “Right then, I committed to getting my health back.”
His first step was to make an appointment with a personal trainer. With the trainer’s guidance, Rob began a regular fitness program consisting of two 30-minute strength-training sessions each week. That prompted him to overhaul his eating habits.
That’s when he bought a cooler.
Before hitting the road, he enjoyed a low-fat breakfast of oat-I meal and fruit at home. At dinnertime, he ate a balanced meal con-I sisting of lean meat, plenty of vegetables, and a modest serving of pasta or another starch. All the while, he was continuing his twice-weekly workouts.
In just 6 months, Rob dropped 60 pounds. One year later, he’s a fit and muscular 205. “Losing that weight and getting in shape has increased my energy level tremendously,” Rob says. “I feel 25 instead of 45!”
WINNING ACTION
Stock up for road trips. Rob’s strategy really works. Whenever I’m traveling for business or pleasure (at least 100 days a year!), I always make sure to put something healthy—a V8, a Clif Bar, a banana, or pretzels—in my briefcase or travel bag. I feel better knowing that I can eat nutritious low-fat foods, and I get there more relaxed because I don’t have to wait in long food lines.
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