Overlooked Fat Loss Factors

By Joel Marion Fitness Expert

We're often told that losing weight is a simple mathematical equation of calories in, calories out. Burn more calories than you eat and you’ll lose fat. However, is it really that simple? The truth is that the actual “number” of calories you consume is not the only factor that affects your fat-loss efforts. In this article, we’ll discuss five other things that should be considered when determining the effect of your diet on your waistline, primarily overlooked fat loss factors. Incorporate this knowledge into your workout and nutrition routines and soon you'll be ripped like Ryan Reynolds -- and attracting the Angelina Jolies and Kim Kardashians of the gym for it.

1- The thermic effect of the food you eat

The thermic effect of food (TEF) measures the amount of energy that is required to support the processes of digesting, absorbing and assimilating food nutrients as well as the energy expended as a result of the central nervous system's stimulatory effect on metabolism when food is ingested. Of the three macronutrients, protein carries the highest thermic effect. Eat more protein; burn more calories.

2- The fiber content of the food you eat

Due to its chemical makeup, fiber is classified as a carbohydrate; however, it is unlike other carbohydrates in that it is an indigestible nutrient. Even though each gram of fiber contains four calories, these calories will remain undigested and will not be absorbed. Therefore, if you were to consume 300 calories of red beans (a food in which nearly 1/3 of the caloric content is from fiber), approximately 100 of these calories would pass through your intestinal tract undigested.

3- The glycemic and insulin indices of the food you eat

The glycemic and insulin indices are scaled numbers that refer to how quickly a particular carbohydrate source enters the bloodstream as sugar and how much insulin is needed to rid that sugar from the bloodstream, respectively. Generally speaking, there is a positive relationship between the two; the quicker sugar enters the bloodstream, the more insulin is needed to rid that sugar from the bloodstream. When high levels of insulin are present within the blood, fat burning is brought to a screeching halt, which is anything but desirable for those whose goal it is to obtain a lean, muscular physique. Don't let this be an overlooked fat loss factor.

4- The different macronutrients present in the food you eat

Although insulin's primary function is to shuttle glucose (sugar) into skeletal muscle, it also carries many other nutrients to their respective storage sites -- this includes lipids (fat). Since carbohydrate ingestion stimulates a large insulin response and fat ingestion gives rise to blood lipid levels, when the two are consumed together, they promote the greatest fat storage.

There's one more overlooked fat loss factor you need to know, along with some other great weight loss tips...

5- The size, frequency and time of the meals you eat

Large, infrequent meals tend to promote storage of the ingested nutrients, as the body is unsure as to when the next feeding will take place. Conversely, consuming smaller, more frequent meals will result in an increase in metabolism and utilization of the ingested nutrients. Also, ingesting a large amount of carbohydrates before bed spikes insulin, deters nocturnal thermo genesis and increases fat storage during sleep. On the contrary, consuming a great deal of calories early in the day does not bring about this problem; rather, these calories are likely to be used as energy to support daily activities.

fight the fat

As you can see, someone could be eating a relatively small amount of calories daily, but at the same time be promoting a great deal of fat storage by: 1) Making poor food choices; 2) Combining macronutrients in a nonproductive fashion and; 3) Consuming food infrequently and at inopportune times. To illustrate this further, let's take a look at a recent study that analyzed the diets of 38 police officers. This study discovered that although the officers were consuming a hypo caloric diet (fewer calories than they burn), they all had unhealthy levels of body fat and had been gaining fat mass over the past five years. If all you had to do to lose fat was consume fewer calories than you burned, then these individuals would be losing fat, not gaining it.

To confirm the importance of the factors that I previously mentioned, let's take a look at some of the other things this study noted:

·         Only 15% of their diet consisted of protein, the macronutrient with the greatest TEF.

·         Their diet contained very little fiber.

·         Over 50% of their carbohydrate intake was derived from simple sugars, which have very high glycemic and insulin indices.

·         They didn't note this, but I'm willing to bet that they didn't avoid the fat-carb combo.

·         They ate infrequently -- only 10% of their caloric intake was consumed at breakfast and over 50% was consumed right before bed.

By now, it should be obvious that fat loss isn't just a matter of calories in, calories out. And while it’s a little more complex than that, you can easily use the tips in this article to ensure you’re getting the most from your dieting efforts.

Joel Marion is an internationally recognized fitness expert and the author of The Cheat to Lose Diet (Random House, 2007). To learn more about Joel’s top-rated Body Transformation Coaching program and to download a free copy of his latest fat loss report, The Secret Fat Loss Hormone, visit www.JoelMarionCoaching.com.

Oh dear! I didn’t realize I had people waiting for my next diary entry! So sorry to have kept you waiting for so long! Part of the delay is that my January has not been too terribly exciting until this week.

January 8^th-14^th was spent setting up my new 2007 clients. I had new client appointments all week long and mostly just worked and nursed my head cold. This is THE busiest month of the year for me and it takes a lot out of me after 6 weeks of not so much work and too much play. Why is it that everyone must go on a diet and start an exercise program the very minute all the holiday goodies are gone from the house? It’s been my experience that minute lands somewhere around January 4^th or 5^th and then the phone rings off the hook for my help with wellness and health coaching. I took on 4 new clients each of the 5 work days that week! Way cool but exhausting. Lots of profiling and studying for me. I have to find the best plan that fits their life and will get them fast results. One gal even made me go to the gym WITH her and set her up with a trainer there and another begged me to do her grocery shopping for her! In the end I did go with her but didn’t DO it for her.

So most days I worked at my computer, called colleagues for advice and then went to bed as early as I could. In a word…BORING.

BUT January 15^th was my birthday and what a surprising day that was! I woke up to the phone ringing at the crack of dawn. Wasn’t even dawn yet, actually. It was 3:32 am and my heart started racing thinking there was something really wrong with someone – an emergency or something. When I answered it, it was my mom telling me HAPPY BIRTHDAY and then asking me "did I ever tell you about the day you were born?" I told her no, although she has told me every year on this date since I was one. So I layed back on the pillow, closed my eyes and let her tell me the story. You see, I was born at 3:40 in the morning and that’s why she called to wake me this early. She wanted me to know how I woke her that day, eager to start my life. It’s very sweet and also makes me wish I was born at a decent time of day, not before the sun came up!

After the phone call I had trouble falling back asleep. I finally did and had the weirdest dream. Something about a boat and some Christmas lights and a baby being born in the middle of the night. Go figure.

So I got up at my normal time, headed for my office and started working. There was a message on my office answering machine from Karen:

"Dayna, this is Karen Cooke, sorry I have to cancel today’s session, but I’m having some problems with the baby and I’m in the hospital. I’ll call you as soon as I know more"

I haven’t talked to Jesse in a long time. After the last session with Karen I called and bitched him out for lying to me and for treating Karen like he has been. I couldn’t help myself. I’ve gotten myself in a tough spot. He of course called me back and told me I didn’t know anything about this and maybe I should mind my own business. I told him "fine, no problem" and he hasn’t called since. The bad part is – I don’t know if that’s what I really want. This whole thing sucks so bad.

I went off to lunch with my mom and sister in law and when I got back there were flowers on my porch. My heart skipped a beat because for a second I thought they were from Jesse. The florist card said "Happy B-day ~ thinking of you today and can’t wait for you to visit me. Rob" I called him right away and started making plans with him for a trip to Colorado.

Later when I was in my kitchen opening a bottle of wine for me and Mel to drink before we went to dinner, I noticed the answering machine was flashing that I had a message. It was Jesse.

"Hey Dayna, not sure you want to hear from me but Happy Birthday. I couldn’t let the day slip by without a call. I hope you have a great day and I’d really like to talk sometime. Give me a call if you’re feeling up to it."

Hmmm….what should I do with that one? I ended up doing nothing and here it is a week later and I haven’t called him back yet. I don’t know what to say. I really wanted him in my life and then I got to see how he treats his pregnant wife and lost respect for him. It would’ve been different if he owned up to all of it, still wanted to separated from her and be with me. Maybe we could’ve made it work, but with the lies and the full-on denial of things, I just can’t deal with it!

 And I did call Karen back and got her voicemail.  I told her I hope things are ok, don't worry about calling me unitl she was ready and able.  I haven't heard from her all week so it sort of worries me.