Myths and Truths About Metabolism (Weight Loss)

[BlessedMama]

This if from Dr. Diana Schwarzbein, in The Schwarzbein Principle II: The Transition.


Myths and Truths About Metabolism

Myth: Weight (body composition) is related to caloric input versus caloric output.

Truth: Calories do not determine your body composition; your hormones do. This is because your hormones determine your current metabolism. Restricting your calories to lose weight lead to a low-insulin effect that will eventually destroy your metabolism. Do not make the mistake of counting calories. Eat balanced meals to keep your hormones balanced and your metabolism working efficiently.



Myth: Eating fat makes you fat because there are nine calories in a gram of fat.

Truth: Not all fats are fattening. Healthy fats are used as the material to rebuild cells and certain hormones. Therefore, when you eat healthy fats and make functional and structural fats from them, you do not store them as fat. Aslo, since fats are more satiating than carbohydrates, it is harder to overeat them because your body regulates their intake.

Myth: If you are losing weight, you must be doing something right.

Truth: Not all weight loss is healthy. Just because you are losing weight does not mean that you are doing something that is good for you. If you are on a diet and losing weight too quickly, you are losing your functional and structural biochemicals as well as storage fat. The loss of these biochemicals will destroy your metabolism. You need to be healthy first to lose your fat weight, not lose weight to become healthy.



Myth: Food is the only factor in achieving and maintaining your ideal body composition.

Truth: Eating well is not enough. You need to be aware that your stress levels, the toxic chemicals you ingest, the amount of exercise you do, your hormone levels and the food you eat all work together to determine your body composition. If you spend your entire life counting calories to keep your weight down, instead of improving these other areas of your life, you will destroy your metabolism and never achieve your ideal body composition.



Myth: Fat-free foods help you lose fat.

Truth: Fat-free foods may make you fatter. Most fat-free foods are filled with extra sugar to make them taste better, and eating excess sugar makes your body store fat. Read the labels and stay away from processed fat-free foods.



Myth: It does not matter what you eat as long as it is low in calories.

Truth: What you eat does matter. It is important that you eat the foods that you are made of. You rebuild from proteins, healthy fats, non-starchy vegetables and real carbohydrates. You do not rebuild when you eat junk food, even if it is low in calories.



Myth: Some people would be fatter if they did not diet.

Truth: Dieting makes you fat. Restrictive diets destroy your metabolism by causing you to use up your biochemicals faster than you can rebuild them.



Myth: Unlucky people are born with a damaged metabolism.

Truth: Luck has nothing to do with a damaged metabolism. While it is true that some people are born with a damaged metabolism, most people are born with a healthy one. You determine your current metabolism by what you do and eat on a day-to-day basis--because your current metabolism is acquired, not genetic.



Myth: If I am gaining weight, I must be doing all the wrong things.

Truth: Sometimes you have to gain weight to lose weight. If you begin with a damaged metabolism and then make the necessary improvements to your nutrition and lifestyle habits, you can expect to gain weight as you heal. Once your metabolism is healed, you are ready to achieve your ideal body composition.
(Trisch's note--this is happening to me now! )



Myth: If I am thin, I must be healthy.

Truth: Thin people are not always healthy. You can be too thin for all the wrong reasons. You are not healthy if you are thin and have a damaged metabolism.




Myth: Once your metabolism is destroyed, you can never repair it.

Truth: It is never too late to heal your metabolism. The good news is that by following the Schwarzbein Principle II program, your metabolism can be repaired. But you will not heal overnight.

(from pp. 108-110)

[walkingal]

Thanks Trisch! Excellent! We have really conditioned ourselves over the years to think differently. It is refreshing to hear that there is a healthy way to live without feeling like you have to be on a restrictive diet.

[Clarity]

HoRmoNeS are the boss... there will be fluctuations but if we manage them by a good nutrition; exercises; breathing well; relaxing.. they won't show up as much.


I keep saying it and I hear ya!

thanks for that note...

[Lisa A]

Good post, Trisch! Now I know I'm checking the book out!

[mamalove]

Thanks for posting that Trisch!! They really answered some of the questions I've been wondering!!