By Richard Tardif
Calories in, calories out for optimum weight loss is a simple formula, but this idea of burning more calories than we eat is being challenged by health practitioners, researchers and the general public. At the onset of weight loss the formula seems to be working, but after the initial drop in weight we plateau, struggle and become frustrated and begin to question why we can’t lose more weight.
“The glycemic index of food is the number one factor,” says Bruno Saint-Hilaire, health consultant specializing in nutritional medicine and sports medicine, and owner of the Mont-Tremblant based CEnerJ Optimal Health. The Glycemic Index (GI) is a relative ranking of carbohydrate in foods according to how they affect blood sugar levels. Foods with a low GI value (55 or less) are more slowly digested, absorbed and metabolized and cause a lower and slower rise in blood sugar affecting insulin levels.
The higher the GI results in higher peaks of sugar in our blood vessels, but also faster drops of sugar. “The “roller coaster” effect of blood sugar causes a lot of inflammation and the body responds to that by releasing two stress hormones, adrenaline and cortisol,” says Saint-Hilaire.
“That’s when we feel the “cravings” of certain foods such as cookies, candies, crackers, and chips. After months of this type of diet an individual has a higher chance of suffering from insulin resistance or being pre-diabetic.”
According to the World Health Organization over 50 percent of the North American population is in a state of insulin resistance. In a continued state, the body will store the excess sugar from high glycemic foods in fat cells mostly around the waistline, the belly and the hips.
“So in that state even if you measure your calories in/calories out, it will be extremely difficult to lose weight,” says Saint-Hilaire. “That’s what we see with many individuals on a new fitness program to lose weight and get discouraged after a while because they might have lost weight but then reach a plateau.”
There is good news. The glycemic index is just one tool to control blood glucose levels. A healthy management plan also includes regular physical activity and a positive approach to life.
“Always focus on lifestyle changes for long term sustainable results,” advises Saint-Hilaire. “We should focus first on food with a low glycemic diet that will not spike our blood sugar, and provide us with lots of nutrients and sustained energy throughout the day.” In the end, it’s reasonable to understand that we need to be mindful of the quality and type of calories we’re consuming.
“We need to understand that the primary function of nutrition is to provide nutrients to our billions of cells so they can do what they have to do to maintain a healthy state,” says Saint-Hilaire. “If we eat foods that do not provide enough nutrients we will always be hungry for more nutrients.”
How the body makes use of how we feed it depends on many factors, and something as simple as move more, expend more than you intake my be too simple, but it stands to reason that if we continue to feed it right, it will reward us with good health
Richard is a certified individual fitness coach, a tai chi teacher, a journalist and a volunteer fitness instructor at the West Island YMCA. He is also the Executive Director of the Quebec Community Newspapers Association. You can reach him at tardifrichardg@videotron.ca, or at www.richardtardif.com
