Getting Back on Track!
Let’s face it folks, the turkeys were not the only ones being stuffed on Thanksgiving Day! And guess what, that’s okay. There are certain times of the year and special occasions where most of us get off our usual eating plan and eat for the sake of traditions, good food, and that special feeling we get with these seasonal treats. The real question is, where do we go from here? If you stepped on the scale this morning and had a minor heart attack, take a deep breath, and keep reading.
If you haven’t stepped on the scale yet, good for you. I’m going to oppose Nike here and say just DON’T do it…yet. Give yourself a few days, or maybe even a week before you step on the scale. Why? Because chances are, the numbers on the scale don’t really represent the amount of fat mass that you gained the past few days. You are probably retaining a significant amount of water for several reasons.
1. You probably had a lot of salt in your diet with all of that ham, gravy and stuffing, and salt can cause you to retain some water.
2. This is the one that most people are not aware of, but you are probably retaining water from the sugars and carbohydrates that you ate (hello mashed potatoes, rolls, and pies!). We can all store approximately 1,000-2,000 Calories of glycogen, which is stored glucose, in our muscles and liver, and every gram of glycogen is stored with 3-4 grams of water. Therefore, if our glycogen stores are filled to the brim, which they likely are after Thanksgiving, we will also be retaining a significant amount of water with that as well.
3. Lastly, insulin, which your pancreas was likely producing in massive amounts to keep your blood sugar within a healthy range, also makes your kidneys retain sodium, and thus water.
For these three reasons alone, you could be retaining a significant amount of water, causing the number on the scale to be more alarming than it may otherwise be. So, before you jump on the scale, give your body a little time to get rid of this excess water weight so you can see what the real damage is.
While some of the weight may be water weight, it is also possible that you did indeed pack on a few pounds of fat mass overt the past week. A few pounds may not seem like a big deal, but if we don’t reverse the damage, these pounds will quickly add up over the years, and can have significant negative health consequences. So, to reverse this, and to prevent further weight gain, here are a few tips and tricks to get you back on track with your health. Like always, I will present you with a few options, because not every solution will be the right fit for every person. You know yourself better than anyone else, so find one that you think will work for you.
A. Go Low Carb/ Keto.
If we want to burn off that excess glucose and glycogen, we need to give our body the opportunity to do that. While physical activity can help with this, your nutrition plays an even more significant role. If you continue to eat foods containing large amounts of glucose, your body won’t have any need to burn off your stored glucose. Also, if you want to burn off some of the extra fat you packed on over the past few days, you want your insulin levels to be low. Insulin is the hormone that controls fat metabolism, and when your insulin is high, you can’t access your own fat as a fuel source. When insulin is low, your body will switch to using fat as the primary fuel source. Think of your fuel as being money in different accounts: Glucose is the money you have in your wallet, glycogen is the money in your checking account, fat is the money in your savings account, and insulin decides which account you have access to. If you have a lot of money in your wallet and in your checking account, insulin is not going to let you access your savings account. That would be stupid. So, if you want to access the money in your savings account, first you have to drain your checking account. It may take you a few days of eating very low carb before your body starts to have better access to your fat stores, so stick with it! Lastly, if you are consuming more calories than your body needs, even if they are low carb, your body still won’t have any need to tap into your fat as a fuel source, and you won’t lose weight, so don’t lose sight of that!
B. Consider Intermittent Fasting.
We feast and we fast, or at least, that’s what we used to do as hunter gatherers. Now, we mostly just feast because, well, it’s a lot more fun than fasting. However, the health consequences of this pattern are not very fun, so… here we are. The reason why intermittent fasting can work for weight loss is two-fold: 1. People tend to eat fewer Calories when they restrict the hours of eating, and 2. When we don’t eat, our insulin levels remain low, allowing better access to our fat stores. There are several ways that people can incorporate intermittent fasting or time-restricted eating:
1. Time restricted eating: This can be done with a variety of different time frames, such as 16/8, which means 16 hours of fasting and an 8 hour time frame in which food is consumed (for most people this means skipping a meal, either breakfast or dinner).
2. 24-hour fast, or OMAD (one-meal-a-day). This simply means that you eat one meal, once a day, and then don’t eat again until the next day at that time. People usually do this a few times a week, though some people prefer to eat this way on a regular basis. Just make sure you are getting in all of your nutrients, including sufficient protein, plenty of veggies, and some healthy fats in your one meal, which may be tough for some people.
3. 5:2. This means that 5 days a week the person eats like they normally would, and two days a week they consume only 500 Calories. You’ll want to make sure that you get at least 50 g of protein on your 500 Calorie days, which can be done with high-protein whole food such as meat, poultry, or tofu, or with protein shakes.
C. Use Meal Replacements
Another strategy that works well for some people when they need to get back on track is using meal replacements for some of their meals and snacks. There is flexibility in how many meals you replace with a meal replacement product, such as a protein shake or protein bar. Some people will temporarily use meal replacements for most of their meals except for one meal a day, while others only replace one meal a day with a meal replacement. Do not rely entirely on meal replacements, and don’t consume less than 1,000 Calories a day unless you are under medical supervision with a health care provider who is specifically trained in this.
There is no one-size-fits all for nutrition, and you need to find what works best for you. If you have medical conditions or are on medications, consult with your health care provider before making any significant dietary changes.
For more information on low carbohydrate nutrition or intermittent fasting, check out www.dietdoctor.com
I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving, although it may have looked a little different for many people this year! If you did get a little (or a lot) off track with your nutrition, don’t fret about it! Make a plan, take action, and give yourself some grace. And if you are still struggling with weight or appetite, consider making an appointment with an obesity medicine specialist. You can find a local provider at: https://obesitymedicine.org/find-obesity-treatment/
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