Obesity and stubborn fat accumulated around the stomach (Visceral Fat) is not only a matter of beauty in today's era, but has also become the biggest cause of diabetes, high blood pressure, fatty liver and heart diseases. To lose weight, most people immediately start strict dieting, stop eating and drinking or start sweating for hours in the gym without thinking. Despite this, after a few weeks, instead of decreasing, the weight stops (Weight Loss Plateau) or starts increasing rapidly again. Experts in endocrinology and nutrition science clearly believe that 80% of weight management depends on your kitchen and daily lifestyle. To activate the fat burning mode in the body, it is most important to know which foods and habits increase insulin and fat storage hormones in the body. If you completely exclude these 6 main things from your daily routine, then the body's metabolism automatically speeds up and weight starts reducing rapidly and safely. Mathematics of Metabolism: Why is abstinence more effective than diet in weight loss? The human body works like a complex biological engine. When we consume any food, the hormone 'Insulin' is released from the pancreas. Insulin is considered the body's main 'fat-storage hormone'. As long as the level of insulin in the blood remains high, the fat cells present in the body cannot be burned as energy. To prevent weight gain and achieve rapid fat loss, it is essential to avoid foods and behaviors that repeatedly spike insulin levels or slow down the metabolic rate. 1. Refined Sugar and Liquid Calories: The biggest enemy that activates fat storage, the first and most fatal obstacle in the journey of weight loss is white sugar and calories taken in liquid form. This includes packaged fruit juices, carbonated soft drinks, energy drinks, sweetened tea-coffee, flavored milk and sports drinks. Sugar taken in liquid form is absorbed directly and very rapidly into the bloodstream, causing a sudden spike in blood sugar. Since liquid calories do not provide the brain with a satiety signal, a person consumes hundreds of extra calories without feeling full. Apart from this, the excessive fructose present in refined sugar is processed only by the liver, which directly turns into visceral fat and fatty liver. Method of prevention: Stop packaged juices and cold drinks completely. Get into the habit of having no sugar in tea or coffee and use only plain water, lemon water, coconut water or green tea to quench your thirst. 2. Ultra-Processed Foods and Trans Fats: Appetite-increasing dopamine trap Maida, biscuits, namkeen, chips, instant noodles, frozen ready-to-eat snacks and bakery products (cakes, pastries, cookies) are called ultra-processed foods. Fiber, protein and essential vitamins are completely missing in these products, while they are rich in refined carbs, sodium and hydrogenated oils (Trans Fats). These foods hijack the reward center of the brain and release dopamine, which leads to a state of 'hyper-palatability' and the person starts overeating uncontrollably. Trans fats not only cause chronic inflammation in the body, but they also destroy the insulin sensitivity of cells, causing the body to accumulate fat rapidly. Method of prevention: Avoid buying any packet which has more than 5 unknown chemical ingredients, preservatives or 'palm oil/hydrogenated fat' written on the back. Always prefer single-ingredient natural foods (like whole grains, pulses, nuts). 3. Heavy dinner and late-night snacking: Clash of circadian rhythms Meal timing plays as important a role in weight loss as the quantity of food. The digestive system of the human body works in sync with the Sun according to the 'circadian rhythm' (biological clock). After dusk and darkness, 'melatonin' (sleep hormone) starts increasing in the body and insulin sensitivity decreases significantly. By eating heavy food after 9 or 10 pm or eating snacks while watching TV/mobile late at night, the body is not able to burn that energy. The result is that the glucose consumed is directly converted into fat. Additionally, sleeping on a full stomach disrupts digestion, increases gastric reflux and prevents deep sleep, which is essential for fat loss. Prevention: Finish dinner at least 2.5 to 3 hours before sleeping, around 7:30 to 8:30 pm. Make dinner the lightest meal of the day, low in carbs and high in protein and soup/vegetables. 4. 'Crash dieting' with low protein and zero-fibre: Slowdown of metabolism. Often, in order to lose weight quickly, people start doing 'crash dieting' by eating only fruits or boiled vegetables or eating them only once a day. This is the biggest and suicidal mistake of weight loss. When you drastically cut down on protein and essential nutrients in your diet, the body goes into 'starvation mode'. If there is not enough protein, the body starts breaking down muscle mass instead of melting its fat. Muscles are the body's metabolic engine; As muscle mass decreases, your basal metabolic rate (BMR) falls. After this, when you start eating normally again, due to slow metabolic rate the weight comes back twice as fast as before (Yo-Yo Effect). Way to Prevent: Include adequate protein (eggs, cheese, tofu, soy, pulses, sprouts, Greek yogurt) and soluble fiber (salads, green vegetables) at every meal. Protein increases appetite suppressing hormones GLP-1 and PYY and protects muscles. 5. Lack of sleep and chronic stress: The havoc of cortisol and ghrelin hormones. Weight gain depends not only on the number of bites in your mouth, but also on the peace of your mind and sleep. When you don't get 7 to 8 hours of quality sleep every day, the balance of two major hunger hormones in the body gets completely disrupted: Ghrelin: This is an appetite-inducing hormone, which increases rapidly due to lack of sleep. Leptin: This is a hormone that causes feeling of satiety, which decreases due to lack of sleep. Additionally, during extreme mental stress the adrenal glands secrete the hormone 'Cortisol'. High cortisol constantly signals the body that it is in an emergency situation, causing the body to accumulate fat around the abdomen (stubborn belly fat) to conserve glucose and creating intense cravings for sweet or salty foods. Method of prevention: Make a rule to sleep at a fixed time at night. Stop using screens (mobile, laptop) 1 hour before sleeping. To reduce stress, do pranayam, meditation or walk in nature for 10-15 minutes daily. 6. Long sitting time and zero physical activity: Lack of NEAT Most people think that working out for 45 minutes a day is enough to lose weight, and the remaining 10-12 hours they spend sitting on a chair or lying on the sofa. This is called 'Active Sedentary' lifestyle in science. 'Non-exercise activity thermogenesis' (NEAT) contributes more to fat loss than your 1-hour workout. NEAT refers to the normal activities you do throughout the day—like climbing stairs, walking, talking while standing, doing household chores, etc. When you sit continuously for several hours, an enzyme called 'lipoprotein lipase' (LPL) in the muscles becomes inactive, which works to break down fat from the blood. Method of prevention: After every 45 minutes of sitting time, take a break of 2-3 minutes and do stretching or walk. Use the stairs instead of the lift and set a daily target of taking at least 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day. The Golden Rule of Sustainable Weight Loss: Consistency is the Real Key Weight loss is not the result of a magic pill, crash diet or 10-day detox plan. It is the compounding result of small scientific improvements made in your daily habits. When you eliminate refined sugar, packaged snacks, late-night eating, stress and inactivity from your life, the hormonal environment of the body automatically becomes favorable. Make the right amount of protein, fiber, plenty of water, adequate sleep and regular physical activity a part of your sustainable lifestyle.
