2962: Weight: Is It Simply a Matter of Will Power? by Nancy Clark on Healthy Weight Management

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[00:01:00] Have you ever noticed how a calm mind can really set the stage for a good night's sleep? That's the idea behind our new podcast, Good Sleep. Greg, our host from Optimal Relationships Daily, is here to help ease you into a peaceful night's rest with some positive affirmations. And these affirmations aren't just comforting, they can help ease anxiety and nurture positive thoughts, setting you up for true good sleep.

[00:01:24] So, press play on good sleep tonight because a good tomorrow starts with a good night's sleep. Just search for Good Sleep in your podcast app and be sure to pick the one from Optimal Living Daily. This is Optimal Health Daily. Wait, is it simply a matter of willpower? By Nancy Clark of nancyclarkrd.com. And I'm Dr. Neil Malek, your host and narrator.

[00:01:50] Hey there, happy middle of the week Wednesday and welcome back to Optimal Health Daily where I simply read to you from the best health and fitness blogs for free. And then on Fridays, I answer your questions. Remember, you can send in a question by going to oldpodcast.com slash ask or just send your question directly via email to health at oldpodcast.com.

[00:02:14] All right, now it is Wednesday and like I do every Wednesday, I like to share a little bit of inspiration with you. So with that, here we go. Quote, Looking after my health today gives me better hope for tomorrow. Anne Wilson-Shape All right, and with that, let's get right to today's post and start optimizing your life.

[00:02:39] Wait, is it simply a matter of willpower? By Nancy Clark of nancyclarkrd.com. Is weight simply a matter of willpower? You might think so, given the number of dieters who add on exercise, subtract food, and expect excess fat to melt away. But it doesn't always happen that way. Older athletes notice the fat that creeps on year after year seems harder to lose.

[00:03:06] And others who have slimmed down complain how easily they regain lost body fat. The Endocrine Society took a close look at why we can too easily accumulate excess body fat, as well as why it's so easy for dieters to regain lost fat. They describe fat gain as a disorder of the body's energy balance system, not just a passive accumulation of excess calories.

[00:03:30] They highlight many factors other than food and exercise that influence body fatness, including genetics, the environment, and evolution. If you're frustrated by your seeming inability to easily shed a few pounds, here are some facts to consider. Studies with identical twins, as well as adopted children, suggest 25-50% of the risk for becoming obese is genetic. Identical twins, who are raised in different homes,

[00:03:58] tend to weigh the same, despite eating different foods. Some people might have a thrifty gene that conserves calories and resists fat loss. In terms of evolution, this would be important for surviving famines. Genetic factors alone fail to explain the rapid increase in obesity during the past 40 years. Genetic factors get influenced by the environment. We need to learn more about the combined impact of genes, plus environmental toxins, highly processed foods,

[00:04:28] a sedentary lifestyle, antibiotics, the microbiome, maternal obesity, and fetal exposure to a mother's obesity-promoting diet. Some experts say sugar and carbs are inherently fattening. They claim carbs trigger an insulin spike, which drives sugar into fat cells, creates hypoglycemia or low blood sugar, and stimulates the urge to overeat. The Endocrine Society does not support this controversial hypothesis.

[00:04:56] They say eating too many calories of any type is the problem. Respected research shows no differences in fatness when subjects ate the same number of calories from carbohydrate, protein, or fat. A calorie is a calorie. 100 excess calories from fat and carbohydrate are no more fattening than 100 excess calories from protein. That said, some calories are yummier and less satiating than others, so they're easier to overeat. For example,

[00:05:23] I could easily devour a lot more calories from ice cream than from boiled eggs. We need to learn more about the brain's role in body fatness. What is the metabolic impact of carbs, protein, and fat on the brain, and the psychological impact of enjoying rewarding foods? Does the brain on a diet get signals about the amount of fat stored in adipose tissue and, in response, trigger the body to want to eat more and move less

[00:05:50] in order to thwart fat loss and survive a perceived famine? Social situations can promote fat gain. At parties, the presence of a lot of people, as well as a wide variety of foods, triggers overeating. In contrast, a repetitive daily diet with the same breakfasts and lunches every day can trigger sensory-specific satiety and curb food intake. Dieting or restricting calories to lose fat increases the desire to eat,

[00:06:19] as well as reduces our metabolism. In comparison, forcing weight gain by overeating increases spontaneous activity like fidgeting and curbs hunger. That's why genetically skinny athletes have a hard time maintaining the weight they've forced their bodies to gain. The rise in childhood obesity might be linked to endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as bisphenol A, perfluorinated chemicals, and phthalates. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals

[00:06:47] pass from mother to fetus across the placenta and later to the infant via breast milk. They alter signals given by estrogen, testosterone, and thyroid hormone. Some research suggests they stimulate fat deposition. Bisphenol A is used in hard plastic bottles, food can linings, and food packaging. BPA is thought to promote the creation of new fat cells and change metabolism at the cellular level. To determine the obesogenic effects of bisphenol A,

[00:07:17] we need more comprehensive research that looks at men, women, and younger and older individuals. Some studies indicate bisphenol A may be linked to behavioral problems in boys. It's advised to limit your use of plastic containers with the number 7 in the recycling symbol on the container. The types of bacteria that live in your gut, your microbiome, likely impact weight. Hence, the microbiome is becoming a target for obesity research.

[00:07:44] Your best bet is to cultivate a healthy microbiome by regularly eating fruits and vegetables and limiting processed foods with little fiber. Exercise plays a role in weight management, but less than you might think. Exercise alone is largely ineffective as a means to lose weight, even though it contributes to a calorie deficit. For some people, exercise triggers the urge to eat more. Hence, you want to be sure your reason to exercise is to enhance health,

[00:08:12] not burn calories to lose weight. Once you've lost weight, exercise does help maintain the loss. After hearing this information, you may be left wondering if you will ever be able to reach your desired weight. Perhaps yes, if you can take these positive steps. One, enjoy a satisfying breakfast, early lunch, and a later lunch or hearty snack to negate hunger and a perceived daytime famine. Consume a lighter dinner to enhance fat loss at night when you're sleeping.

[00:08:42] And two, focus meals and snacks on satiating whole foods with protein and fiber. For example, an apple with cheese or Greek yogurt and granola or peanut butter and crackers. Above all, be grateful for your healthy body. Give it the fuel it needs and trust it will perform best when it is appropriately trained and well-fueled on a daily basis. The best athlete is not the leanest athlete, but rather the genetically gifted athlete.

[00:09:11] If you're trying to force your body into a too-lean physique, think again. Weight is more than a matter of willpower. You just listened to the post titled, Weight is in a Matter of Willpower by Nancy Clark of nancyclarkrd.com. And I'll be right back with my commentary. When we started this podcast, it felt like diving into the deep end. Each day brought new challenges and we were drowning in decisions. Finding the right tools

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[00:11:05] Dr. Neil here for my commentary. Today's author, Nancy, mentioned some of the exact same things I remind patients when I'm helping them manage their body weight. I love it when my fellow dieticians and I agree on things like this. It makes me feel like we're on the right track when it comes to helping our patients. So, here's where we completely agree. First, when it comes to meals and snacks, think protein and fiber. They will fill you up faster and help you feel full for longer.

[00:11:34] In fact, I tell patients that whenever they're having a carbohydrate-rich food, like a piece of bread, crackers, pasta, even fruit, I tell them to have some protein with it. So, just like Nancy suggested in today's article, if you're eating an apple, have some cheese with it. You want a snack on some graham crackers? Top them with peanut butter or almond butter. And the other advice I give, exercising regularly is awesome, but it's not the cure-all for weight loss.

[00:12:04] And lastly, managing our body weight is not about willpower. In fact, planning our meals and snacks and scheduling our workouts ahead of time are much stronger than willpower. In fact, planning beats willpower almost every time. So, if you could plan out just one workout or one meal or one snack even, you're on the right track. All right, that'll do it for today. I hope you have a great rest of your Wednesday. Thank you so much for listening, and I'll be back here tomorrow

[00:12:33] as usual. So, I'll see you there where your optimal life awaits.