Foods That Damage Your Metabolism

As I'm about to launch a new weight loss package, I thought it would be a good time to talk about foods that hurt your ability to burn fat.  I often hear people start an exercise program to lose weight, make good diet changes, but still not see the results they’re after.  Does that sound like you? What could be keeping you from losing that last 10 pounds can be referred to as metabolism death foods!

You body recognises these foods as toxins, and some negative effects can result if you eat them frequently, such as inflammation and poor gut health. You may even begin to develop food intolerances inhibiting nutrient absorption from any food you eat, and keeping your body in a fight or flight response.

The following foods negatively alter your metabolism by causing issues such as:

• Weight gain
• Thyroid disruption & therefore disfunction
• Hormone imbalances
• Blood sugar irregularities
• Digestive issues
• Gut imbalances (dysbiosis)
• Chronic fatigue
• Sugar Cravings
• Increase in appetite

1. Refined Grains. Surveys show that some of the biggest grain offenders include: breads, pasta, cereals, crackers, muffins, desserts, flours, chips and muesli bars.  A diet higher in refined grain intake is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease.  To help combat obesity, it is best to limit if not avoid consumption of foods that contain refined grains, especially refined grain foods that contain solid fats, added sugars and sodium.If consumed in excess, refined grains can provide you with high levels of certain compounds that may hurt your metabolism, including starches, gluten and phytic acid.  Gluten has been shown to cause a low inflammatory response in most individuals and is a very sticky substance, clumping to the villi in your gut causing them to not absorb nutrients from your food. Phytic acid is considered an “anti-nutrient” and is found in grains and legumes.  It is responsible for binding to nutrients causing you to not absorb them properly, and therefore benefit from. Many packaged grain products also contain lots of added sugar, salt, synthetic preservatives and are “fortified” with synthetic vitamins and minerals that can be hard to metabolize properly. So, for those not very active or prone to gain weight easily, starches can turn into sugar quickly once consumed, cause further food cravings and not really provide the nutrients the body needs.So, what do you do? Opt for fruits and vegetables instead, or consume soaked and sprouted grains. There are many whole grains that are highly nutritious such as quinoa, buckwheat, amaranth, millet and oats.  You can even continue to bake but replace your flour with something like coconut flour, as it’s high in fiber and is very filling with all the healthy fats that your body can burn as fuel.  These foods provide a lot of fiber, reduce hunger, improve cholesterol levels and balance blood sugar.
2. Fruit Juice/Added SugarFruit juice is loaded with many hidden sugars, which destroys your body and can wreck your metabolism in several ways, including causing lethargy, inflammation and cravings.  These drinks don’t provide many vitamins or minerals and yet are very high in calories. One 8 ounce glass of fruit juice contains about 30 grams of sugar, (almost the recommended daily intake for women in just one glass)!Other sources of hidden sugar to reduce include alcoholic beverages or mixes, bottled caffeinated or coffee drinks, energy drinks, cereal, yogurt or flavored dairy products, condiments such as tomato sauce and salad dressings, and muesli snack bars. Sugar is hidden under 100 different names, some of which include: corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, juice concentrate, maltodextrin, raw sugar and brown sugar. So check ingredient labels carefully, or better yet, ideally avoid buying foods or drinks that require a label in the first place.To replace fruit juice with an healthier alternative, you can make homemade lemonade by mixing real lemon juice, water and stevia. Kombucha is another great option to satisfy your need for something besides plain water and is fizzy for those that like some bubbles, soda water as well as herbal teas mixed with raw honey or some steeped fruit slices. You might also find that drinking coconut water, (which is naturally very hydrating), is another good alternative.
3. Processed Vegetable OilsYes, it’s true that eating healthy fats, such as raw full fat dairy, grass fed butter or ghee may help suppress your appetite and boost metabolism as fat is very filling. Grass fed butter supports your metabolism as it is high in a fatty acid, (CLA, conjugated linoleic acid), as well coconut oil which is high in medium chained fatty acids which boost the production of heat in the body which burns energy.Most vegetables oils are combined with other solvents during the manufacturing process.  These oils easily become oxidised, (go rancid) which contributes to inflammation in the body, disrupting hormones and metabolism.  These oils are considered to have a low smoke point in that under a small amount of heat the molecular structure changes and then once ingested they cause a lot of inflammation in the body.I suggest cooking with extra virgin coconut oil, avocado oil, ghee or real extra virgin olive oil.
4. Artificial SweetenersArtificial sweeteners, particularly aspartame and sucralose,  tell the lie that you can satisfy your sweet tooth, with no calories, no guilt and a thinner waist line. However, aspartame is actually linked to dozens of adverse health effects, including changes in the brain and accelerated aging due to free radical damage.Aspartame and sucralose (Splenda) can stimulate your appetite and increase cravings for carbohydrates. The calorie “savings” from consuming foods sweetened with aspartame ends up not saving you anything due to the increase in appetite and, therefore, calorie consumption. A study was conducted and it was found that the consumption of just one diet soda per day significantly increased the risk for increased waist circumference and weight gain.So, instead why not switch out any artificial sweeteners for an all natural choice such as stevia from the stevia plant? You can also use raw honey, prunes, dates and even coconut sugar, (much lower on the glycemic index).  Remember, a little sweetener goes a long way.***Weight Loss Program – REVIVE!***

I’m excited to announce that I’ve almost finished developing a weight loss program using specialised nutrition software that will allow me to gather information and monitor and track individual progress like never before! We will set goals, make a plan, stick to it and you WILL REACH YOUR GOALS! I have given this much thought and by incorporating fundamental elements, we will get you where you want to be, and just in time for summer! This weight loss plan will include a nutrition consultation, one-on-one sessions, dietary analysis through modern cutting edge software, meal plans and body measurements. If you want to know more or have any specific questions, just send me an email: Heather@foodforlife.co.nz, or call: 027 812 5071.