Username:

Password:

 

Bookmark Us | Tell a friend | Call me back!

Dieting & Slimming

Dieting and the slimming is an ever expanding multi-billion pound industry but what are the scientific facts behind diets? This page helps explain some of the basics of weigh loss and slimming.

The concept of energy balance.

The first law of thermodynamics (a bit of physics for those that can remember) states that energy cannot be created nor destroyed. This can be translated into the concept of energy balance which is:

Like an old fashioned balance scales, it will tip one way or another depending on the relative amounts on each side. If you have more energy (calories) coming in than going out then you will put on weight. If you have less energy coming in than going out then you will lose weight. It's as simple as that.

You can tip the scale in the direction of weight loss by either reducing energy in (i.e cutting down calories), or by increasing energy out (i.e. increasing activity and exercise), or better still, both. You see it's not rocket science.

Fad diets and weight loss regimes

There are whole aisles in book shops dedicated to diet books, not to mention all the other diets in magazines and TV. All of these work by getting you to either reduce the amount you are eating or increase the exercise you are doing. Many of them have some form of rule or gimmick which you need to follow, but ultimately, it will work if it gets you to think about what you are eating and get you to eat less. Here are a few examples of some popular ones:

Calorie counting – works by getting to add up the amount of energy you eat (i.e. calories), ensuring you eat less than you need so you lose weight.

Combining diets – states that you can't eat certain foods in combination. (e.g. starch and protein). Has no scientific basis as your gut is able to digest and absorb everything together. Works by getting people to think about what they are eating and eating less by following this stupid rule.

Atkins diet / South Beach diet – says that carbs are the enemy. It is true that carbs release insulin and that is what triggers fat storage, whereas without insulin you burn fat. However, many of these diets advocate the inclusion of high fat, high protein foods and do not correct for the damaging effects of no carbs. Hence you can get rapid weight loss but it cannot be sustained, and you are likely to put it back on eventually.

How to lose weight sensibly

Dieting is not just about losing weight, it is about keeping the weight off and ensuring your health is better.

If you lose weight too quickly in an uncontrolled manner then you are likely to lose not only fat but lean tissue (muscle). If you lose muscle then your body will want it back so will strive to get you to regain weight, by increasing appetite and slowing metabolic rate. This is particularly true for those individuals who are not very large to start with.

If you lose weight slowly then your body can adjust to the new weight and you can maintain it better. BUT, this is OK if you have a small amount to lose but if you are very large and have a lot of weight to lose it may be prudent to have a period of rapid weight loss followed by a period of sustained slower weight loss and weight maintenance.

At eurodiet™, programmes are tailored to the individuals current weight and medical condition, using the four phase programme ensures appropriate weight loss for the wide range of people.