More people are turning to natural weight loss methods. Are you one of them? Do you want to avoid side effects from medications and surgical complications? If so, join more and more overweight individuals looking into natural weight loss strategies.
Weight loss is more complicated than simply calories in versus calories out. Achieving meaningful and long lasting weight loss ultimately is about improving metabolism, keeping insulin levels low, and limiting caloric intake. Natural weight loss involves taking the following steps.
Revving Up the Engine: a Key to Natural Weight Loss
Metabolism can be improved by regular exercise, especially high intensity interval training. Such exercise has been shown to keep metabolism up above baseline sometimes for 36 hours. High intensity interval training also stimulates release of testosterone and growth hormone, which improves metabolism.
Some nutritional supplements like green tea extracts have been demonstrated to increase metabolism in animals and early studies in humans are encouraging. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) enables the mitochondria, or power plants, of the cells to function more efficiently and make more energy. Statin drugs, prescribed to lower cholesterol levels, decrease CoQ10 levels. Some individuals on statins report lower energy levels. If you are taking a statin drug you should consider taking CoQ10 supplements.
Also, if you’re middle-aged and overweight, there’s a good chance you have some hormonal deficiencies. Bioidentical hormones can correct these deficiencies. Thyroid hormones regulate our metabolism and an under active thyroid occurs more frequently than is recognized. Low testosterone in men and women contributes to weight gain, too. Testosterone enables us to build and maintain muscle mass. Muscle tissue is far more metabolically active than fat tissue. This means even at rest we more burn calories the more lean body mass we have.
Although, hormones are medications, they are substances that the body makes naturally, but at lower levels as we age. See “Natural Metabolism Boosters“.
Natural Weight Loss Requires Low Insulin
Insulin is a needed hormone that is secreted in response to carbohydrates. Insulin helps to move sugar (glucose) and other nutrients into the cells. But, if insulin levels are too high it prevents the burning of calories from fat. Insulin is pro-inflammatory. Inflammation is front and center at the root of many chronic diseases.
Insulin levels can be kept low by eating low glycemic carbohydrates. These carbohydrates are digested and absorbed more slowly than high glycemic foods. This prevents a rapid spike of blood sugar, and therefore less insulin is needed to drive sugar into the cells.
For more information on the glycemic index go to www.glycemicindex.com.
Calorie Restriction: the Key to Weight Loss and Longevity
Weight loss can be achieved by consuming fewer calories. Calorie restriction has also been shown to increase longevity in every animal tested. Calorie restriction is usually defined as consuming 30% fewer calories than usual. It’s vital that only nutrient dense foods are consumed to ensure the body obtains the necessary nutrients to function properly. Calorie restriction induces a stress on the body. The body responds and adapts to this stress by improving the efficiency of the many biochemical processes of the body.
Resveratrol, which is found in red grape skins, can provide many of the health benefits as calorie restriction and may aid in weight loss. Resveratrol is readily available today as a nutritional supplement.
Natural Supplements and Natural Weight Loss
Other supplements that may aid in weight loss include white bean kidney extract, which reduces the amount of carbohydrates absorbed from a meal. Soy products reduce inflammation. Inflammation contributes to reduced insulin sensitivity leading to weight gain. Capsinoid, found in peppers, improve burning of fats.
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