Times of Oman

FORGET CALORIE COUNTING: NEW GUIDELINES FOR LOSING WEIGHT

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FOR YEARS,

the general wisdom was that the only scientific­ally proven way to shed pounds and inches was to consume fewer calories than one burned each day. Unfortunat­ely, that formula doesn’t work for everybody. Why? Experts say that this is because successful weight loss is associated with a wider range of factors.

“Gaining control of your weight is more complex than the ‘calories in/calories out’ approach that so many dieters subscribe to,” says Margie Adelman, president of Simplipur, a maker of dietary supplement­s. “Now research shows that powerful factors regulate weight, and that understand­ing those factors can help you reach your goals.”

According to Adelman, these are clinically proven actions that promote fat loss, which every dieter should know about:

your number one goal shouldn’t be to lose pounds but rather to increase your lean body mass. Healthy weight loss is all about burning energy, and the leaner your body mass, the more energy you can burn. It’s by “building lean” that you will lose fat. “fight or flight” response, during which the body produces adrenaline that mobilises stored fuel so you can run away or pick up a stick and fight. That fuel is stolen from muscles and organs, tearing down lean body mass, as well as leaving energy in the bloodstrea­m that the body converts to fat if it’s not used.

To bust stress, first recognise its source and take steps to manage it. Before going to bed, try relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises. Take a walk or do jumping jacks; find a way to discharge the nervous energy pumped into your bloodstrea­m, so it won’t be stored as fat while you sleep.

sleep time and don’t let anything interfere with it. The deep sleep states are when anabolic processes take over to build lean body mass, so high-quality, undisturbe­d sleep is essential. Your bedroom should be cool, dark and quiet. If you need white noise, make sure that it’s constant and not irritating.

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