Dr. Jonny Bowden

Tag: weight loss

Green Tea Helps You Lose Weight!

A recent study shows that green tea or green tea supplements (EGCG) can help people lose weight.

Researchers at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center took 35 subjects with obesity and metabolic syndrome and randomly assigned them to one of three groups.

Group one drank four cups of green tea a day for eight weeks. Group two took green tea extract capsules plus four glasses of water on a daily basis for the same eight weeks, and group three- the control group- drank four glasses of water daily with no green tea or green tea supplements.

Both groups one (tea drinkers) and two (supplement takers) received an equal amount of the active ingredient in green tea- epigallocatechin-3-gallate, or EGCG.

The results were impressive. Compared to the control group, both the green tea supplement group and the green tea drinking group had a significant decrease in body weight and BMI.

This is hardly the first time green tea and its active ingredient, EGCG, have been shown to improve body composition. A 2009 study on rats showed that both green tea and black tea reduced body fat, but green tea and EGCG supplements both increased lean body mass. All three also improved glucose tolerance. And a 2006 review article, “Anti-obesity effects of green tea” stated that “Studies conducted with human subjects report reduced body weight and boy fat…. and thereby confirm findings in cell culture systems and animal models of obesity”.

Want more? A 2005 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that subjects ingesting one bottle of tea per day containing 690 mg of catechins had significantly lower body weight, BMI, body fat mass and subcutaneous fat area than a control group consuming only 22 mg of catechins a day.

Plant chemicals in tea known as catechins have long been found to have anti-cancer effects. And a 2004 article in the medical journal Circulation concluded that “the more green tea patients consume, the less likely they are to have coronary artery disease”.

Tea- all kinds, actually—offers powerful antioxidant protection, reduces blood sugar, is anti-inflammatory, lowers cholesterol, protects against heart disease and caner, and has the ability to stimulate the metabolism.

For an innocuous and common little beverage that costs next to nothing, that’s a pretty powerful resume.

August 19, 2011
The Best Diet for Maintaining Weight Loss

Researchers in Denmark have found that a high-protein low-GI diet was significantly better than other diets tested at maintaining weight loss in subjects who had already successfully shed pounds.

My father used to have a favorite saying: “It’s easy to stop smoking. I myself have done it lots of times!” The same could be said about weight loss. Losing weight isn’t all that hard.. keeping it off is where the action is.

In the current study, researchers enrolled 773 subjects who had lost an average of 24 pounds using a low-calorie diet. They then assigned the subjects to one of four groups for the “weight-maintenance” phase of the study.

Group one ate a low-protein/ high-GI diet. (Readers of this newsletter will recall that GI stands for Glycemic Index, a way of measuring how quickly food raises blood sugar. High glycemic foods are always carbohydrates, usually processed ones; they’re either high in sugar to begin with (cereals), or they turn into sugar pretty quickly once they hit the stomach, i.e. bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, etc.).

Typical “low-protein/ high-GI” meals: a little bit of chicken with a big plate of pasta, or a breakfast of cereal, bananas, toast and one egg.

Group two ate a low-protein/ low-GI diet.

Group three ate a high-protein/ low-GI diet (typical meal: protein and vegetables), and group four ate a high-protein/ high-GI diet.

Over the 26 weeks that followed, the subjects eating the low-protein/ high-GI diet actually regained significant weight (even though this was the “weight-maintenance” phase). They were the only group to do so.

Meanwhile, those eating the high-protein/ low-GI diet (protein and vegetables) actually continued to lose a small amount of weight over the next 26 weeks! Interestingly, these folks were also the least likely to drop out of the study. (Conversely, the folks in the low-protein/ high-GI diet were the most likely to drop out!)

Families got involved

What’s really interesting about this study is that the researchers got the whole family involved, not just the overweight adult study participants. The participant’s whole family ate the same diet with no restrictions on the amount of food.

And get this: In the families who were in the high-protein/ low-GI condition (protein and vegetables), the percentage of overweight/obese kids in those families actually fell over the course of the study!

Though it’s not crystal clear why this type of eating plan works so well, there are two very likely hypotheses (which are not mutually exclusive).

One, a high-protein low-GI diet doesn’t knock your blood sugar into the stratosphere, which in turn has a very positive effect on the levels of your fat storing hormone, insulin. (When blood sugar goes up high, insulin goes up with it, and when insulin is high, fat burning is pretty much turned off.) (This is the reason we use a high-protein low-GI diet in both our programs, Diet Boot Camp and the brand new Unleash Your Thin.)

Two, a high-protein low-GI diet seems to be easier to stay on. Because it doesn’t send blood sugar skyrocketing, you are less likely to experience the crashes and cravings that come with “blood sugar hell”. In an editorial accompanying the current study, Drs. David Ludwig and Cara Ebbeling of Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School commented: “A person’s ability to maintain adherence over time may be influenced by the way in which a diet affects hunger and metabolism”.

In other words, it’s easier to stick with an eating program if you’re not hungry all the time.

And it’s easier still when you see yourself losing weight, which is much more likely to happen if you can control the levels of your fat-storing hormone, insulin.

And that, in turn, is easy to do: Just cut back on sugar and carbs, and fill your plate with protein, fat, fiber, vegetables, nuts, berries and other low-glycemic fruit!

August 14, 2011
Can Coconut Oil Help You Lose Inches?

A study from Brazil suggests that two tablespoons a day of coconut oil can not only help you drop inches, it can also raise protective, HDL (“good”) cholesterol.

I’ve sung the praises of coconut oil for a long time. The fat in coconut oil- a form of saturated fat known as MCT (medium chain triglycerides)– is among the healthiest fat in the world. It contains fatty acids such as lauric acid and caprylic acid known to be anti-viral and anti-microbal. And medium-chain-triglycerides are more likely to be burned for energy than stored as fat, leading to their popularity in the bodybuilding community.

But the actual ability of coconut oil to help with weight loss has not been thoroughly investigated.

In the present study, 40 women aged 20-40 years old with abdominal obesity were given daily dietary supplements of either soybean oil or coconut oil over the course of 12 weeks. All subjects followed a “balanced” diet with the same number of calories and were told to walk for 50 minutes a day.

By the end of the study, the coconut oil group had significantly higher HDL (“good”) cholesterol and an improved LDL: HDL ratio. While both the soybean oil group and the coconut oil group had similar reductions in BMI, only the coconut oil group saw a reduction in the circumference of their waists. (Meanwhile, for the record, the soybean oil group saw their HDL go down and their cholesterol ratio go up!)

A very interesting- and unexpected- finding, was that those consuming the coconut oil spontaneously reduced their consumption of carbohydrates and increased their consumption of protein and fiber over the course of the study.

“Supplementation with coconut oil does not cause dyslipidemia and seems to promote a reduction in abdominal obesity”, write the researchers.

For my money, the best coconut oil on the market is Barlean’s extra-virgin organic coconut oil. It’s inexpensive, organic, and comes from hand-selected coconuts. I use it for everything, including sautéing vegetables and making eggs.

July 17, 2011
10 Superfoods for Weight Loss (Part Two)

Last week I told you about superfoods that can help you lose weight quickly, foods like grapefruit, pumpkin, berries, sardines, and grass-fed beef. Here are five more superfoods that pack a ton of nutrition into a relatively small number of calories, filling you up, stabilizing your blood sugar, and making it far less likely that you’ll go on a waist-busting binge.

Nuts About Nuts…

Nuts should be a staple of your weight-control diet. I realize this piece of advice may be contrary to much of what you’ve heard about nuts being “fattening,” but nonetheless it’s absolutely true.

While nuts are high in calories and probably shouldn’t be eaten by the fistful, a very substantial number of important studies have demonstrated that regular inclusion of nuts in the diet lowers the risk for coronary heart disease by double digits4. Other research shows positive effects on the risk of dementia, stroke, and diabetes.

And the current evidence is clear that a moderate intake of nuts doesn’t cause weight gain5. In the Nurses’ Health Study, one of the largest epidemiological studies, frequent nut consumers were actually a bit thinner than those who didn’t indulge. The “magic” amount seems to be about five ounces a week, or 1 to 1.5 ounces about five times a week.

Great Guava…

Among the superfoods of the world, guava is a sleeper. With a taste that’s been described as “part strawberry part pear,” one cup of this vitamin-rich, low-calorie fruit contains a whopping 8 grams of fiber, a well-known aid to weight control (not to mention digestive health).

And in one widely used test of antioxidant power, guava scored second only to blueberries. Plus, guava contains lycopene, a cancer-fighting antioxidant also found in tomatoes.

Kickin’ Kale…

Kale is a member of the Brassica family, vegetable royalty that boasts cabbage and broccoli among its relatives. It’s rich in potent cancer fighting substances called indoles, and loaded with bone-building vitamin K.

Kale also contains sulforaphane, a powerful nutrient that helps the liver detoxify carcinogens and other toxins. Kale has the highest antioxidant rating of any vegetable and is ridiculously low in calories.

Try it tossed with olive oil, a few dried cranberries and some pine nuts.

Eggs-actly Right…

Eggs are the protein source against which all others are judged. They’re also one of the best weight control foods on the planet.

Research has shown that choosing eggs for breakfast helps people manage hunger while lowering calorie consumption throughout the rest of the day6,7,8. And, for goodness sake, stop with the egg-white omelets — they’re so 1980s. The yolk is loaded with good stuff like lutein, the superstar of eye nutrition and choline, which helps support brain function.

The little bit of fat in the yolk contributes mightily to the feeling of sustained fullness and satisfaction. Don’t be afraid of it!

Blood-Sugar Busting Beans…

Fiber is the secret weapon in weight-control. It fills you up, slowing the entrance of sugar into the blood system and preventing the blood sugar spikes that frequently lead to hunger and cravings. Fiber also normalizes bowel movements, helps maintain bowel health, reduces the risk of type ll diabetes, and aids in weight loss.

And no food on the planet supplies as much fiber as beans, logging in 12–17 grams a cup. They are also a great source of protein, typically providing 12–17 grams per single cup.

Beans are also a fabulous source of antioxidants. Research on the areas of the globe where people routinely live to 100 in vibrant good health showed that beans were a staple in the diets of all four of the areas studied (known as “The Blue Zones”).

Truly Super Foods…

It’s no small coincidence that the same foods that help you control your weight happen to be the same ones that confer a wide spectrum of health benefits. Rather than focusing on what not to eat, try building your diet around the foods mentioned here.

The only “side effect” of this weight loss plan is a major improvement in your overall health and well-being.

May 1, 2011
The Whey to Weight Loss

Whey protein may be one of your best weapons in the weight loss war.

A number of studies have shown that a low carbohydrate to protein ratio (<2) ratio in the diet with at least 100 grams of protein per day increases fat loss and helps maintain muscle during dieting.

One analysis of 87 different studies found that diets consisting of between 35-41% carbs were associated with greater loss of body mass, greater loss of percentage body fat and greater loss of fat mass than diets with a higher percentage of carbohydrate. (The average American diet is around 60% carbs.)

Whey protein is the perfect protein supplement during weight loss. It’s high leucine content (50-75% more than other common protein sources) coupled with its fast absorption make it perfect for those wanting to lose fat.

And whey protein also influence several hormones, including insulin, that in turn have a great impact on body composition. One animal study found that whey protein reduced appetite (as evidenced by the fact that the animals consumed less food), as well as visceral and subcutaneous fat. They whey protein also reduced blood levels of insulin- the fat storing hormone- and increased insulin sensitivity!

One recent study compared two groups of subjects both of whom were given ready-to-drink mixes as a supplement, and both of whom consumed the same diet for the duration of the study.

The control group drank a supplement with no whey protein in it while the experimental group drank a supplement containing 10 grams of protein per serving from whey protein and peptides. Calories in both drinks were identical.

After 12 weeks there were significant differences. Weight loss was consistently higher in the group drinking the whey protein supplement, and DEXA analyses showed that the weight loss was primarily from body fat. The whey protein group also lost significantly less muscle mass compared to the control group.

Remember, whey protein powders are not all alike. A cheap commercial one found at the mall might contain all sorts of artificial ingredients and sweeteners, and since whey is an animal-based product, the conditions under which the animals were raised influences the quality of the final product.

One of the whey protein powders I recommend, Whey Cool Protein, comes only from grass-fed cows with absolutely no hormones, steroids or antibiotics. Another of my favorites, Dream Protein, is also very high quality, processed at very low temperatures, is sweetened with stevia and contains less than one gram of sugar!

You can’t go wrong with either one.

One of my favorite ways to enjoy whey protein powder is to cut up an apple and throw it in the blender with a scoop of protein powder and a little almond milk or water. You can also use frozen blueberries. For added nutrition, try adding a spoonful of Forti-Flax (for fiber and cancer-fighting lignans) and/or a scoop of PaleoFiber (for a high-protein and high-fiber drink that will satisfy for hours!)

Whey protein drinks make an excellent post-workout mini-meal as well as a terrific breakfast or midday snack.

March 19, 2011
Lighten Up to Lose Weight!
guest article by Craig Weatherby

Rather than self-esteem, “self-compassion” may enhance health and ability to limit food intake.
We were intrigued by the implications of a new body of research summarized by New York Times health correspondent Tara Parker-Pope in her “Well” blog.

As she wrote, “… giving ourselves a break and accepting our imperfections may be the first step toward better health … self-compassion can even influence how much we eat …”

Her article focused on research by Kristin Neff, Ph.D., of the University of Texas, and summarized a controlled trial from Wake Forest University, which found that planting self-forgiving notions in the minds of female college students reduced their junk-food consumption.

Prompted by Parker-Pope’s blog post, we searched the literature, and uncovered additional relevant research published four years ago by Duke University researchers (Leary MR et al. 2007).

The Duke team investigated the thinking and emotional processes by which people with self-compassionate attitudes deal with unpleasant life events.

(The term “self-compassion” refers to people who forgive their own shortcomings, and tend not to beat up on themselves.)

The five Duke studies grouped participants’ according to their attitudes toward themselves, then evaluated their behavior in various contexts:
- Reports on negative events in their daily lives
- Responses to hypothetical scenarios
- Reactions to interpersonal feedback
- Rating their or others’ videotaped performances in an awkward situation
- Reflecting on negative personal experiences
The results showed that people with self-compassionate attitudes had resilient reactions to negative events that buffered them against negative self-feelings when imagining distressing social events.

When notions of self-compassion were planted in the minds of participants who ranked low in self-esteem, this intervention seemed to moderate negative emotions in response to ambivalent feedback from other people.

People who ranked low in self-compassion undervalued their videotaped performances, compared with the perceptions of those performances by objective observers.

Finally, when people were unknowingly nudged toward having a more self-compassionate perspective, they were more likely to acknowledge their role in negative events without feeling overwhelmed with negative emotions.

The Duke team concluded that feeling kindly toward yourself is more psychologically beneficial than holding yourself in high regard:

“In general, these studies suggest that self-compassion attenuates people’s reactions to negative events in ways that are distinct from and, in some cases, more beneficial than self-esteem.”
March 5, 2011
Using Guided Imagery as a Weight Loss Tool

Guided imagery is a program of directed thoughts and suggestions. It’s a way to help you harness the power of your subconscious mind.

And it’s an incredibly effective tool for weight loss.

Here’s how it works: You listen to the gentle instructions and allow your imagination to take you to a relaxed and focused state. This can be done in person with an instructor, or, more commonly, with a taped audio program which can help guide you through the process. (The six Guided Imagery mp3’s are the latest addition to the all-new 2011 version of Diet Boot Camp.)

Generally, guided imagery has a specific purpose—such as helping you stop smoking, or helping you lose weight. (It’s particularly helpful with both of these challenges.)

The concept behind guided imagery is that your body and mind are ultimately and powerfully connected. It’s also based on the well-documented fact that what we imagine appears “real” to the brain, and sends important (subconscious) messages that help us put what we visualize into practice.

Our bodies often respond to what we imagine as if what we are seeing in our minds eye is completely real. Here’s an example: Imagine an orange or a lemon in great detail-the smell, the color, the texture of the peel. Continue to imagine the smell of the lemon, and then see yourself taking a bite of the lemon and feel the juice squirting into your mouth. (Many people salivate when they do this.)

This exercise demonstrates how your body can respond to what you are imagining.

You can achieve a relaxed state when you imagine all the details of a safe, comfortable place, such as a beach or a garden. This relaxed state may aid healing, learning, creativity, and performance. It may help you feel more in control of your emotions and thought processes, which may improve your attitude, health, and sense of well-being.

What is guided imagery used for?

You can use guided imagery to promote relaxation, which can lower blood pressure and reduce other problems related to stress. But you can also use it to help reach goals (such as weight loss or quitting smoking), manage pain, and promote healing. Using guided imagery can even help you to prepare for an athletic event or for public speaking.

Is guided imagery safe?

There is nothing safer than guided imagery. It has no known risks.

Guided imagery is most effective when the person teaching it has training in guided imagery techniques. (The new guided imagery audio mp3’s for Diet Boot Camp 2011 were designed by Anja Christy, one of the top weight loss coaches in the country and a certified Guided Imagery Practitioner.)

Remember the old saying, “Seeing is believing”? You can use guided imagery to “see” yourself in a desired state (like being at your perfect weight) or to “see” yourself doing things (like public speaking). The message sent to your subconscious is very clear: “She can DO this!”

Why not harness the enormous power of your subconscious mind to help you achieve your goals this year? Remember, in weight loss- as in everything else- your brain is your greatest ally. Guided imagery is a terrific way to harness its power and achieve incredible results!

December 18, 2010
Top Ten Ways to Jump-Start Weight Loss
These ten tips for jump-starting weight loss will serve you well!

They are simple and easy to follow. Give them a try and watch what happens!
1. Eat protein at every meal, including breakfast.
2. Eliminate wheat– and flour-based products for the time being. And yes, that definitely includes bread and pasta.
3. Eliminate “food products”. Ninety percent of what you eat should be food that could have been hunted, caught, gathered from the ground, plucked from a tree or grown
4. Reduce starch. When you do eat starches, choose from “real” carbohydrates. Best choices are oatmeal, sweet potatoes, beans and legumes.
5. Don’t eat unlimited amounts of fruit and be careful with the extra-sweet, extra-ripe variety. For now, keep fruits to two a day, and choose the low-sugar, high-fiber variety. Apples, grapefruits and especially berries all are good choices. For now, fruit should be eaten alone or with something light like nuts or a little cheese. Lose the fruit juice.
6. Reduce or eliminate dairy for the time being, especially cow’s milk. Exceptions: reasonable amounts of cheese and occasional portions of yogurt, but not the fat-free kind (it contains way too much sugar).
7. Try eliminating alcohol. You can always go back to moderate drinking later on if it works for you.
8. Stop using vegetable oils such as sunflower, safflower and corn. The supermarket kinds are highly refined, and oxidize easily when heated, contributing to arterial plaque.
9. Worry less about the amount of fat you eat and pay more attention to the kind of fat you eat. The worst are fried foods, margarine and foods that contain hydrogenized or partially hydrogenized oils. The best is omega-3, found in fish and flaxseed oil.
10. Drink at least eight or more large glasses of pure water a day. Every day. No excuses.
This is just one of the “Top 10 Lists” that is included with my Diet Boot Camp
December 18, 2010