Potatoes Are Good For You!

Potatoes, along with other carbohydrates, are often one of the first foods to be eliminated by dieters, but cutting out a food groups cuts out important vitamins and minerals which are vital for a healthy body.

Recent research has shown that eating 6 to 8 golf ball sized purple potatoes with the skins twice a day as part of a normal diet for 4-weeks lowered blood pressure in overweight/obese people with high blood pressure.

Although the researchers used purple potatoes, they believe similar effects would be seen with white and red skinned potatoes.

The way you prepare your potatoes will make a difference to how healthful they are.

When simply boiled, baked, or microwaved, without any additions when cooking or serving, potatoes are low in fat, and are a good source of fibre, vitamins and minerals.

As the Daily Mail reported, eating the potatoes did not result in weight gain. This is probably because adding the potatoes to the diet didn’t alter the total calorie intake of the participants in the study. The potatoes either replaced something else in the meals, or the participants adjusted their calorie intake for the rest of the day and achieved ‘energy balance’; the key to weight management.

So, you can include potatoes in your weight loss diet and gain the health benefits. If you want to lose weight the total number of calories you consume each day needs to be less than the number of calories you burn. Logging your meals in the Activity manager will help you keep track of not only the number of calories you are consuming every day, but also the amount of protein, fat, carbohydrate. Your KiFit armband will accurately measure your calories burned 24/7 to allow you to achieve your calorie deficit goal everyday.

Image: Simon Howden / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Can you really fidget your way to a better body? Ki uncovers the truth behind the latest Daily Mail report

Just doing simple daily activities can increase your calorie burn

Last week the Daily Mail reported that you can “Fidget your way to fitness”, misinterpreting the results of recent research which linked cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), a measure of heart and lung fitness, to the amount of incidental physical activity that obese inactive men and women completed everyday.

The researchers concluded that individuals who did more incidental physical activity had higher levels of CRF, but even the highest CRF scores in this group were at the low end of the low-to-good range. What’s more, it doesn’t tell us if greater incidental physical activity results in greater CRF or that people with greater CRF do more incidental physical activity.

Although the findings of this study were generally overstated in the media, and fidgeting may not be the key to getting fit, increasing the amount of incidental physical activity that you do throughout the day can increase your daily calories burned total.

Remember getting fit and losing weight are not necessarily the same thing.

Incidental physical activity is the activity that occurs during everyday tasks and actions (which could include fidgeting). It can be done in little bite-sized chunks so is quite easy to incorporate into your everyday life. You could be:

• Doing the housework – doing the washing-up, vacuuming, dusting, and/or do the laundry.
• Doing the gardening – mowing the lawn, weed the flower beds, and do the digging.
• Washing the car by hand.

The Ki Armband and display shows exactly how much activity you are doing as well as the number of calories you are burning as a result.

Ki Advice:

The key to increasing incidental physical activity is simply changing some of your daily lifestyle habits. If you can replace a few convenient activities each day with something that will cause you to move more, then you will increase your calorie burn. For example

• Walk up and down the stairs instead of the lift or escalator.
• Get off the bus or tube one stop early and walk a little further.
• Park your car a little further away from the entrance at the supermarket or shopping centre.
• Stand-up or walk around when you are on the phone.
• Walk to talk to your colleague instead of emailing them.

Is the shock treatment for Diabetes the right way forward?: Ki investigates

 

A drastic low-calorie diet has been heralded a “Wonder Cure for Diabetes” in the Daily Express last week.

 

Researchers from Newcastle University have found that a following an extreme diet of 600 calories per day for eight weeks could reverse the abnormalities underlying Type 2 diabetes in those individuals who have been recently diagnosed. These findings will be particularly interesting for the almost 2.5million people in Britain diagnosed with the condition that was previously thought to be irreversible.

 

The Daily Express was just one of many newspapers claiming that a “cure” had been found. However, this was a small study in only 11 obese people with Type 2 diabetes and further research is needed before such claims can be made.

 

But here at Ki we no that no body is the same and we have evidence to show that peoples’ metabolisms vary greatly. Even people of the same age, weight and height, undertaking exactly the same amount of physical activity can burn calories at substantially different rates. In some cases Ki have shown a 25% variation, so a 600 calorie a day diet is likely to affect us all differently.

 

The authors of the study warn that this extreme diet is not an easy fix, with the long-term impact of this diet on Type 2 diabetes and health unknown, and they advise people not to follow it without medical supervision. Individuals with Type 2 diabetes should continue to follow the advice of their doctor.

 

Maintaining a healthy, balanced diet, low in fat, sugar and salt is important for managing Diabetes. A tool like the Ki system can help you do this. Its accurate minute by minute monitoring of your bodies behaviour will give you a wealth of information to be able to help control the impact of your condition on your life.

 

People going nuts about weight loss: Ki Investigates.

“Eat more nuts and fruit to ‘help weight loss’” reported the BBC (23^rd June 2011). But is this the “simple way for people to stay slim without counting calories” as claimed by the Daily Express? 

In fact numerous other media sources were also reporting the findings of new research published yesterday in the New England Journal of Medicine looking at the relationship between lifestyle, diet and long-term weight changes.

Most of the reports focused on the finding that it is the quality of the food and drink we consume, not calorie counting that can help people lose weight, but the advice given in the Telegraph’s headline to “eat extra helpings of yoghurt and nuts” is misleading.

Unsurprisingly, calorie-dense processed and refined foods and sugars were shown to be associated with the greatest amount of weight gain over the 20-year study.

Instead, eating more healthy foods such as vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains, and yoghurt was associated with less weight gain, highlighting the importance of making wise food choices and supporting current advice to eat a healthy, balanced diet.

The study also reported that being physically active, sleeping between six and eight hours, and minimising television viewing were important for minimising weight gain.

The weight change in this study was small, with participants gaining less than a pound a year on average, but over time this adds up. The cause of this weight gain? Consuming just 50 to 100 calories more than they burned each day. This is one of the basic principles of the Ki weight loss system.  The bottom line is that the small changes to your diet and lifestyle can make a big impact on your weight. You should focus on both the quality and quantity of food you consume as the underlying mechanism for weight loss is still true – you need to consume fewer calories than you burn.

You can monitor the number of calories you consume and burn as well as the quality of your sleep using a Ki armband and display to help you manage your lifestyle, change behaviour and achieve your personal goals.

Ki look at whether an apple a day really is any good for you.

The humble apple has been getting a lot of coverage in the media recently. Last week the Telegraph’s headline read that “An apple a day keeps your body toned and slender”, with the article reporting findings that apples “boost muscle growth by up to 15 per cent and reduces body fat by more than half”.

 

Unfortunately, the findings of this report have been poorly reported in the media. The early-stage study did show that Ursolic acid has potential in the treatment of illness- and age-related muscle wasting as it reduced muscle wasting and induced muscle growth. But the researchers have not tested the compound’s effect in humans, so we don’t know if ursolic acid will have the same benefits to us that it had in mice.

 

Also, the mice were given ursolic acid as a compound not in apples, so we don’t know if eating apples or apple skins will have the same effect.

 

Ki: the power of truth

We do know that, like other fruit and vegetables, apples have a number of health benefits and can be enjoyed as one of your five-a-day, but the results of this study are not reason alone to eat them.

 

To add to the confusion the Daily Mail has now reported “apples top the list of most contaminated by pesticides list”. So what should you do?

 

Once again, the findings have been overstated. The pesticide level in the vast majority of the over 700 apples-samples fell well within the recommended safe levels and so are safe to eat. Even the group responsible for the research strongly agrees that everyone should eat five servings of fruit and vegetables every day.

 

So really it’s up to you; if you want to reduce pesticides then you can stick to eating those found to have fewer pesticides, or buy organic produce. Washing fruit and vegetables before eating them is always a good idea.

What we think here at Ki is that in the end  the conclusion of both reports is the same; continue to include apples, along with other fruit and vegetables, as part of a healthy, balanced diet.

 

Ki investigates the truth behind Daily Mail report on Fruit Juice containing too much sugar.

“Fruit juice has too much sugar and should not be one of our ‘five-a-day’ health foods,” reported the Daily Mail.

This is a classic example of how poor reporting, and miscommunication is simply adding to the confusion around weight loss. Here at Ki we like to work with the truth and real data.

The truth is, yes, fruit juice has a similar amount of sugar and calories to the sugary soft drink used in the study, but it also contains vitamins and minerals important for good health, and so can be included as part of a healthy diet.

The story in the Daily Mail comes from new research carried out at Bangor University that has shown for the first time that overweight and obese people have a dulled sensitivity to the sweetness of soft drinks, but also an enhanced subconscious liking of sweet as a taste.

The study also shows that even if you’re not overweight, drinking two sugary soft drinks a day for four weeks is enough to dull your sensitivity and reduce your enjoyment of the sweet taste, but, worryingly increase your preference for it.

This combination can lead to a vicious cycle of consuming more and more calories in search of a sweet taste.

Ki: The Power of Truth.

A modest amount of sugar, such as that found in fruit juice, can be included in a healthy, balanced diet. It is recommended that sugars make up 10% or less of your daily calorie intake.

Reading nutrition labels and ingredients list on food packaging can tell you how much sugar it contains, however you need to look for the line that says Carbohydrates (of which sugars):

• High = more than 15g of sugars per 100g
• Medium = values in between low and high values (5.1 – 14.9g of sugars per 100g)
• Low = 5g of sugars or less per 100g

This includes sugar from honey, jam, fruit juice, soft drinks, and processed foods, as well as the sugar you add to your food and drinks. If you do choose to drink fruit juice, remember to control your portion size; one portion of fruit juice is 150ml.

Remember you can use your Ki Activity Manager to log and track your sugar consumption by using Daily Food Logging to make sure you are not consuming too much sugar each day.

References:
Sartor, F., Donaldson, L.F., Markland, D.A., Loveday, H., Jackson, M.J., and Kubis, H-P. (2011) Taste perception and implicit attitude toward sweet related to body mass index and soft drink supplementation. Appetite, 57, 237 – 246.

Ki announce Big Ki Calorie Survey

‘Calories’… a word that seems to appear more and more frequently in our everyday lives.

Various government health initiatives have been put in place to educate us on what and how much we should be eating and daily calorie recommendations now adorn the majority of packaged foods.

The problem is that every body is different and current government guidelines are… well… just a guideline and this leads us to ask even more questions: How many calories should I really be having? Is 200 calories a lot for a snack? How many calories do I burn when I exercise? Who is an ‘average’ size person? Do spare calories turn into fat? Do I burn calories when I sleep?

The current official guidelines are 2000 kcals* a day for women and 2500 kcals for men. However, in 2009 the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) carried out a review of the research behind the current guidelines and found that the studies may have underestimated daily calorie requirements in a large proportion of the population tested. This led them to propose an increase of 16% above the current recommendations.

The Daily Mail jumped on this and happily worked out that ‘a woman who currently sticks within the limits could safely eat another chocolate bar while a man would be allowed an entire cheeseburger.’

Here at Ki we are really worried about this careless approach to our health. It might make headlines, but it won’t help people make the right choices for them. This relies on guessing what your body is doing.

But of course the Ki armband, monitor, and activity log will let you see how many calories you’re burning each day and the figures that you’re getting are completely individual to you. The sensors in the armband take measurements directly from your body and this information is translated to calorie burn data for every minute of every day.

Our research shows that people of the same weight, height and age, doing exactly the same exercise plan will range in calorie burn rates by 20%. In other words for a women this could mean another 400 calories a day (or to put it in food terms that really is another chocolate bar).

Every body is unique and no body is average

That’s why this month we’re asking people to share their calorie burn data with us as part of our biggest ever survey into the nation’s energy expenditure.

We want to show the UK how each individual differs and why it’s important not to rely on assumptions about how much you should be consuming each day. Why guess when with Ki you can know exactly.

If you would like more information about how Ki can help you lose weight and understand how your body is working, then contact sales@kiperformance.com

Stress Proof Your Day

This article teaches you how to ‘stress-proof’ your day with a range of simple techniques, from ‘centering’ to ‘brain plasticity’ exercises!

1. Getting ready in the morning:

Start your day using mindfulness. Think about your day yesterday… Did you really taste the food you ate? If you spent any time outside, did you look around you and notice how windy it was? Did you really pay attention to those around you and listen to what they were saying?

‘Mindfulness’ means becoming more aware of your thoughts, how you are feeling and what you are doing in the here and now. Spending a few moments each day to be ‘mindful’ will help increase your awareness and feeling of calm and decrease any anxiety or stress that you’re feeling.

Here are some examples of ways in which you can be more mindful as you get ready for your day:

1. As you take a shower or a bath, feel the temperature of the water change as it warms up. Feel the sensation of the water on your body and take in the smells of the soap, shampoo etc.
2. As you brush your teeth, pay attention to the feeling of the brush on your teeth and the sounds it makes.
3. As you eat your breakfast, take time to really taste everything you are putting in your mouth. What temperature is it? What does the texture feel like in your mouth? How does the taste change as you eat it?

Throughout the day, you can also practice being mindful by focusing on the sounds and sights around you. For example, listening to the birds as you take a walk, or noticing the architectural features of the buildings that you pass.

2. During the morning:

Practice this centring technique whilst at your desk, or when taking a break. You can then start to use it when you feel yourself becoming stressed about something.

The centring technique is a breathing technique designed to produce physical balance and mental focus. Centring involves a deep breath (from the stomach not the chest), an awareness of muscle tension, and a strong exhalation to relax the muscles. The use of self-talk ensures attentional control or mental focus.

Step 1: Whilst at your desk plant your feet flat on the floor.

Step 2: Sit up in a straight position with your shoulders back.

Step 3: Expel the air from your lungs until you are unable to breathe out anymore, empty your lungs in preparation for your first deep breath.

Step 4: Place your hand on your stomach.

Step 5: Take a deep breath through your mouth, breathe into your stomach filling your stomach with air.

Step 6: Focus on the physiological sensations of breathing, feel your head getting lighter, and pay attention to your body filling with oxygen.

Step 7: Forcefully and fully expel the air from your stomach through your mouth.

Step 8: As you breathe out focus your attention on how you would like to feel, for example you may say “focused and energised” or “confident and relaxed”.

Step 9: Keep focusing on your physiological response, feel your perspective coming back into your life and your stress being released as well as your relaxation increasing.

Step 10: Repeat this process two more times and really pay attention to the physiological changes that are taking place within your body.

Step 11: Bring your focus to the task.

As you get more used to carrying out this technique during the day, it should become almost automatic, so that whenever you face a stressful situation you will remember to take in your deep breath and pay attention to your body, immediately relaxing and then focus your energy on the task you are about to undertake.

3. Lunch-time:

Keep your brain engaged with some brain plasticity exercises.

Brain plasticity means keeping your brain active and off ‘autopilot’ so that you can deal with the afternoon’s tasks more effectively. You can still relax at lunch, but don’t switch off altogether! Choose one of these options each day or make up your own:

Exericse 1: Walk a different way to get your lunch or try a new food or eating place.
Exercise 2: Talk to a co-worker or colleague that you have never spoken to before or ask someone a question that is out of the ordinary!
Exercise 3: Explore a shop that you’ve never been into before and talk to the shop assistant there.

4. During the afternoon:

Take 5 minutes to relax with the progressive muscle relaxation technique.Take a long, slow deep breath through your nose, inhaling as much air as you can. Then exhale slowly and completely, feeling the tension leaving your body as you exhale. Take another deep breath and let the day’s tensions and problems drain out of you with the exhalation.

Relax as much as possible, remember not to strain to relax. Just let it happen. During the relaxation try not to move the muscles that have already been relaxed.

Work your way through the main muscle groups in your body, from head to toe as follows:

There are 12 muscle groups that you will relax. You will first tense the muscle group for approximately 5-7 seconds and then relax for 8-10 seconds.

Begin with tensing the muscles in the dominant hand and lower arm by making a tight fist and bending your hand back at the wrist. Feel the tension in the hand and up into the lower arm… relax by simply letting go of the tension. Notice the difference between tension and relaxation. Repeat the process and just let the relaxation happen by stopping the contraction; don’t exert any effort.

Next tense the muscles of the dominant upper arm by pushing your elbow down against the chair or desk. Now tense. Feel the tension in the biceps without involving the muscles in the lower arm and hand… release the tension all at once, not gradually. Just let it happen. Let it all go. Repeat the tension and relax. Contrast the difference between tension and letting it go into relaxation. Relaxation is no more than the absence of tension.

Repeat the above process for your nondominant hand.

Then repeat the process above for your nondominant upper arm.

Turn your attention to the muscles in your face. Tense the muscles in forehead by raising your eyebrows, feel the tension in your forehead and scalp (3-5 seconds), now relax and smooth it out, enjoy the spreading sensation of relaxation, now repeat the tensing and then let it go as your forehead should feel smooth as glass.

Now squint your eyes very tightly and at the same time pucker your lips, clinch your teeth, and your jaw, but not so tightly it hurts. Tense them and feel the tension (5-7 seconds) and relax… let the tension dissolve away… now tense again … and let all the tension go… notice how relaxed your jaw feels and release those muscles, your lips may part slightly as your cheeks and jaw relax.

Now tense the muscles of your neck and shoulders by raising your shoulders upward as high as you can while pulling your neck down into your shoulders. Tense (5-7 seconds) feel the discomfort and then relax. Drop your shoulders back down and feel the relaxation spreading through your neck, throat and shoulders… let go more and more… tense again now by raising your shoulders and sinking your neck… and relax. Let go more and more. Enjoy the deepening sensation of relaxation … remember relaxation is simply the absence of tension.

Next tighten your abdomen as though you are expecting a punch and simultaneously tighten your buttocks together. And tense. You should feel a good deal of tightness and tension in your buttocks and stomach…release the tension and let it all drain out. Just let it happen, now tense again… and relax. Feel the spreading sensation of relaxation. Let go more and more….

Remember don’t move the areas or the muscles that have already been tensed and relaxed.

Turn your attention to your right leg. Tighten the muscles in your right thigh by simultaneously contracting all the muscles of your right thigh. Tense now. Try to localise the tension only to your thigh … Note the sensation. And relax. Contrast the tension and relaxation sensations. Remember relaxation is merely the absence of tension; it takes no effort to except merely releasing the tension… now tighten the right thigh again…. and release the tensions, just let it passively drain out. Enjoy the feeling of relaxation…

Next flex your ankle as though you are trying to touch your toes to your shin. Tense now. You should be feeling tension all through your calf, ankle and foot. Contrast this tension with when you tensed your thigh. And relax. Simply release the tension; let go of any remaining tension… now tense again… and slowly release all tension. 

Repeat the above process for your left thigh.

Then repeat the above process for your left ankle, calf and foot.

Next straighten your legs and point your toes downward. Tense now. Note the discomfort and relax. Feel the spreading sensation of relaxation as you relax deeper and deeper… now straighten your legs again then relax. Release all tension, let go more and more…

Be mindful of the results and pay attention to how your body feels as it physically and noticeably relaxes and releases the tension.

The physical relaxation you feel after this exercise should also impact positively on your mental state.

5. Before you stop work:

Whatever you do during the day, leave your ‘workplace’ tidy and carry out some simple time management tasks.

Task 1: Write a ‘to do’ list for the next day. Prioritise all the items using an ABC method. Mark the highest value items on your list as A, the medium value items as B and the lower value items as C. Don’t set more than 3 items as A. You can then break down this list further using A-1, A-2, B-1, B-2, B-3 … etc. Make sure that the list is flexible.

Task 2: Tidy your desk or workspace, removing the clutter and putting things in their place so that you can start your next day in a good environment.

6. Leaving the office:

If you work in an office and feel that a lot of your stress comes during the day, repeat the centring process (described earlier) as you leave the office. As you physically leave the building, try to also mentally leave office business behind. It is now your time. Go and make the most of the time you now have away from the office.

7. Before going to bed:

Complete a gratitude journal. This might sound like just extra paperwork, but it can really help you to reflect on the positives in your life.

Write down 3 positive events that have occurred over the past 3 days. Then, beside these, note what you think the causes of these good events are. This exercise should help you to stop dwelling on the stress and problems you may be experiencing.

Start incorporating these techniques into your day; just one at a time if it’s easier, and you’ll soon find that a few small changes to your daily routine can really help to reduce your stress levels. All it takes is for you to put aside a few minutes a day to look after yourself more effectively, and you should find that this time is an investment worth making as it will often result in you being more effective when you are working hard. If some techniques suit you more than others, that’s fine.. just use more of what you like and less of what you don’t!

The Truth About Eggs

Some say you should only eat three a week – others say you should completely avoid them as they are sky-high in cholesterol. Others recommend that you eat one at breakfast everyday to keep hunger at bay and to help you lose weight. So what exactly is the debate on eggs about? Are they good? Are they bad? And how often should you actually eat them?

Nutritional value of eggs
The egg is a nutrient-dense food, containing high quality protein and a wide range of essential vitamins, minerals and trace elements. Eggs can therefore make a significant contribution to a healthy diet. A medium egg has an energy value of 85 kilocalories, thus the consumption of one egg daily would contribute only around 3% of the average energy requirement of an adult man; 4% for an adult woman. Eggs contain most of the vitamins with the exception of vitamin C. They are a particularly rich source of vitamins B12, B2 (riboflavin) and folate. Eggs are also a good source of the fat-soluble vitamins A and D and also provide some vitamin E. Approximately 11% of the egg content is fat. The fat of an egg is found almost entirely in the yolk; there is less than 0.05% in the albumen (egg white). Approximately 17% of an egg’s fatty acids are polyunsaturated, 44% monounsaturated and 32% saturated. Eggs are also a significant source of cholesterol.

Cholesterol in eggs and coronary heart disease
Eggs, as with liver, kidney and prawns, do contain more dietary cholesterol than many other foods. In the past, if you had high blood cholesterol, advice was to limit the intake of these foods. Eggs in particular tended to be eaten more frequently than liver, kidney or prawns, therefore they were thrown into the spotlight when it came to advising people to cut down on cholesterol containing foods.

However, more recent research has shown that cholesterol in food actually has little effect on our blood cholesterol levels. What really has an effect on blood cholesterol is the amount of saturated fat that in present in the diet. Therefore if you have high cholesterol, the priority is to reduce the amount of saturated fat in your diet, which is found in full-fat milk, butter, lard, cream, pastries. cakes, chocolates and crisps. Eating a diet that is high in soluble fibre (found in oats, pulses, fruit and vegetables) can also help to lower cholesterol.

Thanks to this eggs-cellent news… for general people and for people who have high cholesterol, current recommendations from Dieticians are that you don’t have to limit the number of eggs you eat unless you have been advised to do so by your GP or Dietitian. As previously mentioned, if you have high cholesterol, it is of greater importance to watch your intake of saturated fat.

Eggs and salmonella
In the past there have also been concerns about the safety of eggs, particularly in relation to salmonella. However the risk of getting salmonella from eggs is very low, given the stringent safety procedures that the UK eggs industry has to go through. However, studies have shown that on average the risk of finding an egg with salmonella inside it is 0.0005% (five thousandths of one percent). At this rate, if you are an average consumer, you might encounter a contaminated egg once every 84 years!

However, to reduce the risk of food poisoning from eggs, the British Egg Information Service recommends the following:

• Look for the Lion Quality mark (or the words ‘Lion Quality’) on the egg-shell and egg box. This mark indicates that the eggs have been produced to the highest standard of food safety (which includes vaccination against Salmonella Enteritidis)
• Buy eggs from a reputable retailer where the eggs have been transported and stored at the correct temperature
• Keep the eggs in the fridge in their box after buying them
• Store eggs separately from other foods
• Always use eggs by the “best before” date shown on the egg or box
• Wash your hands before and after handling eggs
• Discard dirty or cracked eggs
• Eat cooked egg dishes as soon as possible after cooking them or store in the fridge

The Foods Standards Agency recommends against eating raw eggs or uncooked foods such as mousse or fresh mayonnaise. Susceptible population groups such as babies, toddlers, pregnant women, the elderly or people who are unwell should only eat eggs that have been cooked until the white and yolk are solid.

References:

1. Thomas B, Bishop J. Manual of dietetic practice.4th ed. Blackwell Publishing Ltd.2007
2. Geisller C, Powers H. Human Nutrition. 11th edition. Elsevier Ltd. 2006
3. Foods Standard Agency. Egg survey.
4. British Egg information Service.

Exercise and Fat Burning

Introduction
Exercise is no longer just exercise, it’s so much more. We now talk a language of reps, sets, intensity, frequency, duration, load, fat-burning, muscle-building and most of all, weight. Although there are countless strategies and approaches in weight management programs, the three overall objectives should include:

 An aerobic and resistance exercise plan to increase caloric expenditure and maintain fat-free (muscle) mass

 A lifestyle/dietary approach emphasising balanced nutrition with an appropriate calorie deficit

 Important guidelines on how to make positive behaviour changes in exercise and lifestyle habits, as well as how to make positive changes for life

In terms of exercising for weight management, the most controversial (and abused!) claim is that you should “exercise in the fat-burning zone to maximise weight-loss and fat utilisation”. Well, what exactly is the “fat-burning zone” and what is the best exercise? There are numerous opinions out there, which seem to confuse fitness professionals and the general population alike. Below is a quick look into the world of “fat burning” and how exercise is related.

Energy Balance Basics
What the First Law of Thermodynamics teaches us is energy is neither created nor destroyed. Since a kilocalorie (kcal or sometimes just ‘calorie’) is a unit of energy, this means that the calories we eat will either be stored somewhere in the body or expended for fuel in metabolism for daily activities, occupational tasks and/or exercise. This basic caloric rule is that you should eat what you burn to maintain weight, and if you want to gain weight you should eat more than what you consume (positive energy balance). For weight loss, a negative energy balance is needed, where energy expenditure is more than energy consumption.

What is often not explained is that when in a negative energy balance, the weight loss may come from three body sources: water, adipose tissue, and muscle tissue. Generally, body water remains relatively normal, given regular hydration, which leaves adipose and muscle tissue. It is not advisable to lose muscle mass as this has a large influence on the resting metabolic rate and affects overall calorie expenditure. Therefore, the goal of the weight loss should always be to lose fat while preserving muscle mass.

The Claim – “Low Intensity Exercise is Better for Fat Burning”
How many times have you heard this? Well research has shown that exercise at lower intensities (50% VO2max) does use a greater ratio of fat to carbohydrate than at higher intensities (70% VO2max). However what is important to highlight is higher training intensities have a greater TOTAL energy expenditure, and a person will almost always burn the same amount (or more) fat calories as seen during lower training intensities, providing the workouts are the same length in time. Basically this means that even though fat is the primary fuel during low intensity exercise, this does not necessarily indicate greater fat loss. This is particularly important when considering weight loss plans. The greater total calorie burn resulting from the exercise is going to have more impact on weight loss, and essentially add to workout efficiency, i.e. greater calorie burn for less time spent. It’s important to remember however, that for those who are sedentary and carry orthopaedic, cardiac or health risks, high intensity exercise may not be appropriate. If this is the case, longer duration lower-intensity exercise becomes more important. In fact, since most people can’t do ‘high intensity’ exercise on a daily basis due to potential overtraining and over use concerns, perhaps the best strategy is to integrate and balance the long duration workouts with the high intensity workouts for optimal calorie (fat) burning.

Resistance Training – fat burner?
Research has confirmed that the most important benefit of resistance exercise in a weight loss program is the preservation of muscle mass. In addition to this, other research has shown that diet only programs can lower a person’s resting metabolic rate (RMR) by 20% (which may be approximately 300 less calories expended per day) and resistance training is one of the best protective interventions to maintain the RMR during a caloric restrictive weight loss program.

Exercise ‘after-burn’ helps fat burning
The exercise after-burn, or EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption), is the number of calories expended above resting values after a workout. Although intensity dependent, both aerobic and resistance training programs may elicit an EPOC from 65-150 (primarily fat) calories post workout, and can last up to 6 hours. It has been suggested that since one pound of fat is roughly equal to 3,500 calories, EPOC is an insignificant factor in the fat burning process. However, if you consider someone who is training regularly, over a couple months this can be quite meaningful!

The last drop – “To burn more fat, burn more calories!”
So the good news is that your body can become more efficient at burning fat with the right training. However, remember that the TOTAL calories you burn are more important for weight loss than whether you are burning more fat or carbohydrate during exercise. Use a combination of aerobic training and resistance training to balance your exercise plan, preserve muscle mass and maintain resting metabolic rate.

References:
Bryner, R.W., Ullrich, I.H., Sauers, J., Donley, D., Hornsby, G., Kolar, M., and Yeater, R. (1990). Effects of resistance vs. aerobic training combined with an 800 calorie liquid diet on lean body mass and resting metabolic rate. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 18: 115-121.
Hill, A.J. (2004). Does dieting make you fat? British Journal of Nutrition. Suppl 1, S15-S18.
Horowitz, J. and Klein, S. (2000). Lipid metabolism during endurance exercise. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 72: 558S-563S.
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Len Kravitz, Ph.D. Fat Facts