Why can't I lose weight?

I can't tell you how many times I've heard someone utter this to me or to a friend in the locker room at the gym, or while getting their hair done, or while eating a big plate of pasta (hmmm, ironic). Well, I just watched an interesting thing on the Today Show that might explain why medically some people truly cannot lose weight.

If you can honestly say that you are counting calories, exercising regularly and the scale won't budge or (gasp) goes up, then you might have an underlying issue in which you need to see a doctor.

Here are five reasons why you might not be able to lose weight according to my friends on the Today Show:

1. Sluggish thyroid – The thyroid helps the metabolism by processing food and keeping sugars in check. If you have a thyroid issue you will gain weight and keep it on. Look for weight gain, sensitivity to cold temperatures, dry/brittle hair and nails, constipation, irritability and depression. See your doctor; this can be treated with medication.

2. Hormones Imbalance – Symptoms include irregular periods, excess facial hair and body hair, irritability, acne, unexplained weight gain. You should see your doctor and get levels tested for an imbalance of testosterone, progresterone and estrogen. This can be due to simply getting older, or in younger women, related to fertility problems.

3. Choosing wrong foods – There is a surprising number of people with food intolerance. This is not a true food allergy, but something that does not process well in your system. Symptoms include upset stomach, headaches, fatigue, bloating, water retention. It can be hard to tell what is causing this, so it will be important to consult your doctor and keep a food diary to determine the culprit. However common intolerance can be related to lactose (milk), gluten. Once you find the problem, eliminate it from your diet.

4. Medications - Certain medications can trigger bloating, water retention and ultimately weight gain/storage of fat. The weight gain will be sudden and significant. Anti-depressants, steroids and oral contraceptives seem to be the medications that are likely to cause this. Talk to doctor about changing dose or switching to different medicine. You should never stop or change a dosage without consult your doctor. It's interesting because this doesn’t always happen immediately. It might take a year or two for this to happen.

5. Unexplained weight gain – In some cases, it might just be unexplained weight gain. This is less about trouble losing weight, and more about suddenly start to gain. This could be a serious issue like fluid retention from heart, kidney or liver disease. Symptoms include shortness of breath, leg or foot swelling and skin dimples. You should see your doctor right away.

Now a quick note. The above is not likely to show up as a 1-2 pound weight gain. Your weight will fluctuate based on how much sodium you intake, exercise, monthly cycle, etc. Weight gain is more significant, like 5 pounds or more.

Another less serious reason that the scale might go up a bit is due to exercise. I was chatting with a friend last night that is following a nutrition and exercise plan that I designed for her and she was horrified beacuse after a week and a half of doing really well, she had gained a pound. This can be so frustrating and unmotivating.

What I told her is a very little known fact that will make you breathe a little easier and hopefully not lose your motivation. When you start a new exercise program, you may experience temporary weight gain.

Here is the phenomenon explained by my personal fitness role model, Chalene Johnson (I'm slightly obsessed with her, call me a stalker, whatever...)

The temporary weight gain explained:
When someone starts a new exercise program, they often experience muscle soreness. The more intense and “unfamiliar” the program, the more intense the muscle soreness. This soreness is most prevalent 24 to 48 hours after each workout. In the first few weeks of a new program, soreness is the body trying to “protect and defend” the effected or targeted tissue. Exercise physiologists refer to this as delayed-onset muscle soreness, or DOMS.

This type of soreness is thought to be caused by tissue breakdown or microscopic tears in muscle tissue. When this happens the body protects the tissue. The muscle becomes inflamed and slightly swollen with fluid retention. This temporary retention of fluid can result in a 3- to 4-pound weight gain within a few weeks of a new program. Keep in mind that muscle soreness is not necessarily a reflection of how hard you worked. In fact, some people feel no signs of muscle soreness, yet will experience the muscle protection mechanisms of water retention and slight swelling.

Most people are motivated enough to put up with this temporary muscle soreness. Yet, many, especially those who really need immediate weight loss to keep them motivated in those first couple of weeks become discouraged and quit!

...

We’re all human and hard work should mean “results”. Hard work equals results, but our bodies are amazing machines and they know how to protect us from hurting ourselves. Soreness forces you to give those muscles a break :) Ultimately you will lose the weight and you will change your metabolism in the process.

The key is understanding that this is a normal and temporary and stick with the program!!

So there you have it. Could be a result of you working hard or potentially a more serious issue. And it it's neither, then take a hard look at your diet. Are you honest with yourself about what you are putting in your mouth. Write it down. Be accountable.

No matter the problem, there is a solution! So, whenever I hear "I just can't lose weight..." I now have a very long-winded answer!

Hope to see you in the gym this weekend :)

Nada Frittata

Just had a fun play date with some old college dance team girlfriends and their baby boys. It's always nice to get together with other new Moms. We always end up giving each other great advice.

Much to blog about here, because we talked a lot about body image and such (more about all that in future posts). But perhaps most important was what I served for lunch (for the Mommas anyway).

I was all excited to use this healthy frittata recipe that I came across while searching egg white recipes (we ended up with two cartons of eggs that I didn't want to go bad). I love to cook and try new healthy recipes. And I love to do this when I have people to cook for. You see Ad Man is an A-mazing cook. Way better than me. He can just throw something together and it's delicious. I make delicious things, but not like Ad Man. Well anyway, he does most of the cooking for dinners and such (I do most of the prep), so I was really excited to cook for the girls...

...and it was a big ole Texas-sized F-A-I-L-U-R-E. It was mostly egg whites with a little egg yolk, veggies, feta cheese and a sprinkling of bread crumb on top. I served it with a dollop of light sour cream. And it was not good. I mean not good.

The other Mommas choked it down, like the sweet and polite ladies they are. But I knew better. It was rubbery and too thin. Fail.

I felt cheated. Do you ever feel that way? Cheated by something you ate that was neither tasty nor worth the calories? Sure, I did get some good protein in me, but at the cost of a wasted lunch and guests that think I am a terrible cook.

And now I feel like I need to redeem myself. Can I get a lunch do-over? I guess I will have to schedule another time and offer to make lunch. If they let me...

So I turn to you this time, Naked Stretchers. Do you have a healthy frittata recipe that is tried and true? Not one of those crappy things (like I found) that sound good in theory. I need something that you've made that is actually good? If so, please share.

I need a mulligan.

It's All Greek to Me!

Yogurt! You can't walk into the dairy section at the grocer store without being inundated with yogurt - fat-free, lowfat, organic, Greek, probiotic, kid's yogurt and more. There are entire cold cases dedicated to the stuff. And on TV, Jamie Lee Curtis telling us all about her, eh, "regularity." And we, the American dairy eating public are eating it up with a spoon. Literally. Who knew that so many people had, eh, "tummy issues?" Anyway.

Yogurt is one of those amazing super-foods with a long-list of benefits, aside from the gut regulating kind. According to webmd, here are the top 5 benefits:

Benefit No. 1: Yogurt May Help Prevent Osteoporosis
''Adequate nutrition plays a major role in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis, and the micronutrients of greatest importance are calcium and vitamin D,'' says Jeri Nieves, PhD, MS, director of bone density testing at New York’s Helen Hayes Hospital.

Calcium has been shown to have beneficial effects on bone mass in people of all ages, although the results are not always consistent, says Nieves, also an assistant professor of clinical epidemiology at Columbia University.

''The combination of calcium and vitamin D has a clear skeletal benefit, provided the dose of vitamin D is sufficiently high,'' she adds.

2. Benefit No. 2: Yogurt May Reduce the Risk of High Blood Pressure
A recent study, which followed more than 5,000 Spanish university graduates for about two years, found a link between dairy intake and risk of high blood pressure.

''We observed a 50% reduction in the risk of developing high blood pressure among people eating 2-3 servings of low-fat dairy a day (or more), compared with those without any intake,'' Alvaro Alonso, MD, PhD, a researcher in the department of epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health, said in an email interview.

3. Benefit No. 3: Yogurt With Active Cultures Helps the Gut
Yogurt with active cultures may help certain gastrointestinal conditions, including:

* Lactose intolerance
* Constipation
* Diarrhea
* Colon cancer
* Inflammatory bowel disease
* H. pylori infection

That's what researchers from the Jean Mayer U.S. Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University concluded in a recent review article.

The benefits are thought to be due to:

* Changes in the microflora of the gut
* The time food takes to go through the bowel
* Enhancement of the body's immune system

Benefit No. 4: Yogurt With Active Cultures May Discourage Vaginal Infections
Candida or "yeast" vaginal infections are a common problem for women with diabetes. In a small study, seven diabetic women with chronic Candidal vaginitis consumed 6 ounces of frozen aspartame-sweetened yogurt per day (with or without active cultures).

Even though most of the women had poor blood sugar control throughout the study, the vaginal pH (measure of acidity or basicity) of the group eating yogurt with active cultures dropped from 6.0 to 4.0 (normal pH is 4.0-4.5). These women also reported a decrease in Candida infections. The women eating the yogurt without active cultures remained at pH 6.0.

Benefit No. 5: Yogurt May Help You Feel Fuller
A study from the University of Washington in Seattle tested hunger, fullness, and calories eaten at the next meal on 16 men and 16 women who had a 200-calorie snack. The snack was either:

* Semisolid yogurt containing pieces of peach and eaten with a spoon
* The same yogurt in drinkable form
* A peach-flavored dairy beverage
* Peach juice

Although those who had the yogurt snacks did not eat fewer calories at the next meal, both types of yogurt resulted in lower hunger ratings and higher fullness ratings than either of the other snacks.


Now let's focus on that last part. The staying full part. This is the most critical part of dieting - eating the right things to keep you full. Starvation is the quickest way to send you back to the bag of cookies.

I recently bought some Greek yogurt because I've heard so much "good stuff" about it in the media. I figured I'd give it a shot. So it does have more calories than my normal Yoplait fat-free yogurt BUT it has NO aspartame in it. It is still fat-free (yay), and is just plain better! And FULLNESS. Did I mention how full I was after eating my little 130 calorie tub? Seriously.

Here are the main benefits of Greek vs. regular yogurt, according to healthmad.com:

It’s higher in protein.
If you’re looking for a good source of protein, Greek yogurt wins out over regular yogurt. Most commercial Greek yogurts at supermarkets have almost double the protein content of standard brands such as Dannon and Yoplait. One cup of plain, low-fat convention yogurt has between ten and twelve protein grams, whereas most Greek yogurts average around twenty.

It’s lower in carbohydrates.
For the carb watcher, Greek yogurt is the better choice. Whereas standard yogurts have fifteen to seventeen grams of carbs, Greek yogurt averages around nine with some brands having even less. Greek yogurt is also a better choice for those with diabetes for obvious reasons.

It’s thicker and creamier.
Greek yogurt has a thicker, creamier texture which many people find appealing. [A little more like cheesecake, yum!] Standard yogurt is generally strained two times, whereas Greek yogurt is triply strain to remove more of the whey. When whey is removed, so is water which creates a thicker, more substantial yogurt product. For this reason, thickeners aren’t added to Greek yogurt, yet it still has an appealing texture. Because it’s thicker and creamier, it’s often better than standard yogurt for making dips and sauces.

It’s lower in sodium.
If you’re watching your salt intake, Greek yogurt is the better choice. It often contains as much as fifty percent less sodium than standard yogurts.

Read more: http://healthmad.com/nutrition/what-are-the-health-benefits-of-greek-yogurt-vs-regular-yogurt/#ixzz0qSuAbLdZ

I also consulted my bestie and she agrees - Greek yogurt = FULL! A tasty flavor is vanilla and honey from Yoplait. L-O-V-E it!

Mastering the Hunger Scale

We eat for a lot of reasons - hunger, sadness, happiness, boredom...some reasons are of course healthier than others. Some days I just feel like I am drawn to the pantry like a moth to a flame. Boredom. For me, it's boredom. I eat when I have nothing else to do. I'm not hungry, it's just mindless eating. A granola bar here. A yogurt cup there. A cookie, a couple crackers, hummus, M&Ms...the list goes on and on.

As a general rule, you should only eat when you are hungry - legitimately hungry. Ask yourself on a scale of 1-10 how hungry you are, with 10 being absolutely ravenous. If you are a 7 or above, you should eat. But only until you reach the "not hungry anymore" feeling.

What happens when you eat when you are not really hungry? Well, your body doesn't know when to signal when you are full, until you are kind of that "sick" full. You know the kind. Like after you just ate a whole bag of cookies. Or ate a whole basket of tortilla chips, drank a margarita and then ate a plate of Mexican full. That kind of full.

So, because you aren't officially hungry, that mechanism doesn't kick in. Nothing tells you to stop, so you keep eating and eating. And then, you realize that you've eaten over 1,000 calories in ten minutes flat.

So, my advice is to apply the "hunger scale" each time you eat. Just because it is mealtime or snacktime, doesn't mean that you have to eat. Eat only when you are truly hungry.

Now, ask yourself, are you really hungry?

I ain't afraid of no toast...

Close your eyes. Seriously. We are doing one of those visualization exercises. Are they closed? Ok now, picture yourself in a cute little French cafe. You know the ones with teeny-tiny coffee cups, adorable little pastries, tables for two on the patio and people in black and white striped shirts, capris and berets. Are you there? Ok. Now picture the owner (pink-faced, jolly, with a curly-cue mustache, of course). He is pulling a steaming loaf of rosemary bread from the oven. Mmmm...it smells delicious. Do you smell it?

Ahhh...AHHHHH!

Wait is this a nightmare or something? Aren't we supposed to be scared of big loaves of warm, doughy bread? Isn't that the cardinal rule of dieting - avoid carbs at all costs? Karate chop the carbs! Ditch the dough! And all that...

So, you hear all kinds of things about bread, processed bread, whole wheat vs. whole grain vs. white wheat. Ugh. It's hard to know what types of grains are diet duds or healthy helpers. It is exhausting to keep up with all of it quite frankly.

So, in order to get the skinny on bread, I turned to my nutrition guru, Nancy Holland, RD, LD/N. Nancy is a licensed nutritionist and runs the nutrition operations at a large hospital in Jacksonville, FL. And, she is a pretty amazing lady, too. Nancy is Ad Man's aunt and so much fun to be around. Oh and this woman can COOK. We spent a week with her in Florida last month and she made some fabulous dishes - all low-fat mind you. Can we move in with you Nancy?

Anyway, I asked her a few questions about bread. Here is the interview:

1. What are the best types of breads to eat?
Any bread with whole grain listed first as an ingredient on the label. This means it includes the bran, germ and endosperm. Watch out for 100% whole wheat or whole wheat flour, it may not be whole grain. It can be tricky and takes careful scrutiny of labels.

2. Are there breads that you should avoid?
Items made with refined grains. These products have a smoother texture which is appealing to many people but the refining process removes most of the nutrients and fiber. Most refined products are enriched with vitamins and minerals but the nutrients in their original form make more sense A limited, carefully selected variety of enriched products can be part of a healthy diet plan.

3. Do you still believe in the recommended amount of grains from the Food Pyramid?
I believe that tools like the Food Pyramid are useful as guidelines. The recommendation varies, 5-11, 3 oz servings, depending on your age, gender and physical activity. Items made with whole wheat flour (made from whole grain), bulgur (cracked wheat), oatmeal, whole cornmeal or brown rice can be easily incorporated in to a healthy diet plan.

4. What are the benefits of bread/whole grains in your diet?
The list of benefits from whole grains is impressive. Foods rich in fiber have shown to reduce the risk of several diseases including heart disease, colon cancer and adult onset diabetes. Whole grains also provide a long list of important vitamins and minerals including B vitamins, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin & folic acid, and the minerals, iron, magnesium and selenium. Again recommendations for fiber intake vary but 25-30 grams of fiber/day is a reasonable goal. Label reading is essential; the amounts vary significantly from brand to brand. Look for items that provide a minimum of 3-5 grams of fiber per serving. When increasing your intake of dietary fiber proceed slowly to minimize possible negative effects like stomach cramping or constipation.

5. If someone is trying to lose weight, do you recommend cutting out breads?
The key especially with weight loss is high quality, nutrient dense/rich foods. That equates to the most nutrients packed with the fewest calories. The list includes fruits, vegetables, low- fat dairy products, lean protein and carefully chosen whole grain products. From decades of being my own guinea pig I have found that deprivation doesn’t work for me personally. I have no will power when it comes to bread so I try to make more choices from other whole grain products like oatmeal, pasta or brown rice. Plus whole grains provide a feeling of fullness that’s very important especially when limiting calories.

6. Any suggestions for creating healthier meals with bread?
Healthy eating takes more time and planning. Be creative and adventurous. Use high quality products and ingredients, either purchased or homemade. Bread is just one source of whole grains. Use bulgur, quinoa, whole corn meal or whole wheat flour to make or enhance items like waffles, pancakes, salads or entrees.

7. Are there specific types of body shapes that should avoid breads more than others?
I would say that the most important measurement on the body when it comes to your health is your waist circumference. It tends to be higher with the rectangular body shape but could also be high with an overweight individual of any shape. A waist measurement of >35 in for women or 40 in for men is associated with increased health risks. Anyone with the tendency to gain weight around the middle may be more sensitive to carbs from any source including bread.

8. What about bread/carbs before or after a workout?
There are many theories & opinions on this subject. What works for you may not work as well for someone else. Your muscles need to be well fueled before you begin any workout. Muscles use carbohydrates as a source of energy. Consume your calories 30–60 minutes before your exercise begins. Carbs are good since the body digests them more easily than protein but low carb dieters have reported that a light meal that is higher in protein works just as well for them. Make choices that are light and balanced with carbs, protein and little or no fat. Lower fiber choices are good here so it’s easily digestible enabling your body to focus on your workout. Save your higher fiber foods for other times during the day. Try oatmeal, yogurt with a spoonful of crunchy granola, a veggie omelet with a slice of toast, or a turkey sandwich. Start thinking about your recovery nutrition as soon as possible after your workout is over. The focus here will be on carbs and protein. The purpose of consuming carbs after a workout is to replace the muscle glycogen that was used for energy during the workout and the protein for any muscle repair needed.

9. Are homemade/artisan breads better than processed breads?
Most likely. Try to choose products with five or less high quality ingredients on the label. The longer the list the more processed the product. Homemade choices, depending on the presence, quality or source of the ingredients, especially sugar & fat, may be the better choice.

Steer away from high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated fat or oil.

Summary
Take a deep breath my hungry friends, bread is a-ok. But here is the deal, you have to be smart about what types, how much and how often you eat it. And for heaven's sake, listen to Nancy and eat WHOLE GRAIN. I didn't know that tidbit of information. And, yep, my bread failed. It listed whole wheat not grain. I will likely be spending 20 minutes in the bread aisle next time I'm at the store.

And just a tip from this Naked Stretcher...avoid the bread basket at restaurants before the meal. You can rack up 200+ calories before your meal even arrives. And if you add butter...oh dear...

Instead, just tell the waiter that you don't need the bread when he tries to set the basket down. I do this all the time. He will look kind of sad at first, but he will get over it.

Thanks again for this great information, Nancy!