Weight Loss techniques - Balance Your Blood Sugar Levels - Divide by 5

by Joe Newbold
•
12 Apr, 2018
•

All food can be broken down into 3 different macro-nutrients – Carbohydrates, Proteins & Fats. Many people in Western society will consume approximately 60—70% of our food through carbohydrates (e.g. cereal/toast for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch, pasta/rice/potatoes for dinner). All carbohydrates break down to sugar eventually, so the more carbs in our diet, the greater the amount of sugar breakdown (this includes alcohol and sauces).

Now, carbs are not bad, in fact our body needs a certain amount to be able to function. However, when our diet consists of such a high amount of carbs, a high amount of sugar breakdown will follow, entering our blood stream. This is our blood sugar levels. Once our body has taken the sugar it needs, any excess will be stored as fat for use later. However, if we don’t come back to using it later these fat stores increase and surprise, surprise our weight goes up and we ask ourselves ‘I wasn’t this heavy last year’.

So, how do we combat this constant battle of potential fat storage and fluctuating energy levels…..Answer…….control the amount of carbohydrates we have. A very simple method which has worked very well for most people (we’re talking average Joe, not athletes, that’s a whole other story) over the years is called the ‘Divide by 5 rule’. When looking at a packet, identify the Total Carbohydrates in that serving and across the meal/snack as a whole, then divide by 5 to give you an approximation of how many teaspoons of sugar it breaks down to once consumed. To avoid excess fat storage and balanced blood sugar levels, aim to keep this under 6 teaspoons. For example, a 75g serving of pasta is around 55g Carbs – divide by 5 equals 11 teaspoons of sugar…….and that’s just the pasta, then add on the carbs from the sauce, the garlic bread and glass of wine and we have an explosion of sugar heading through our system destined for potential fat storage.

Not all carbs are created equal – a 200g bag of spinach (yes, spinach is a carbohydrate, just a non-starchy version) has around 3g Total, divide by 5 equals 0.6 teaspoons of sugar – a much better choice if fat loss is your goal (high nutrient, low calorie and will likely keep you fuller for longer). As you will notice, most salad and veg is much lower in carbohydrate than it’s starchy cousin, which means less sugar breakdown and less (hopefully no) fat storage.

So, next time you’re making a meal or scouring the supermarkets, divide by 5 and choose the healthier carbohydrate option…..your body and waistline will thank you for it!!

Happy eating

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Good Foods vs Bad Foods for weight loss

by Joe Newbold • 17 June 2018

There's no such thing. There are calories and your ability to create a deficit which will promote weight loss / fat loss.

If, for example, you maintained weight at 2000 calories and you ate 1500 calories of anything, you would lose weight. It could be 1500 calories of chocolate, cheese and wine. Yes, you would still lose weight because you have a calorie deficit and your body would utilise it's own stores to provide the energy your body needs for it's daily tasks.

Now, if we use 1500 calories of chocolate as our example, you would find that it would equal 1.5 x a 200g bar. That's not a lot of food for such a high calorie return. But yes, you would still lose weight if that's all you ate in a day. The questions we now ask are: Would that keep your energy levels going for a whole day without consuming anything else....not likely. Would it give your body all the nutrients, vitamins and minerals it needs for a healthy lifestyle.....certainly not.

So, which foods should we choose if weight loss is our goal?

Preferably foods which help to keep hunger under control and provide our body with all the nutrients it needs to maintain a healthy lifestyle..........Lower calorie / High nutrient foods. First suggestion with every meal would be to choose a protein source which helps to fill you up and keep hunger under control (preventing over-eating and maintaining portion-control). This can be anything from lean meats, fish, eggs, yoghurt, nuts, lentils, pulses, protein powders etc. Add to that some kind of vegetables, salads and fruits to give your body the nutrients it needs and will also assist with keeping hunger at bay. If you have a larger frame and are very active, you may find you need to increase the portion sizes or add some starchy carbohydrates to get the calories you need (rice, potato, pasta, bread).

So, are there good and bad foods for weight loss...NO, but are there foods which will make things easier on our ability to stay focused and keep hunger at bay....ABSOLUTELY.

The foundation of a weight-loss journey

by Joe Newbold • 17 June 2018

Your motivator has to mean more to you than the challenges we face every day which try and derail our attempts. Only then will you make the right choices and push closer to your goal.

MYTH: Everyone puts on weight as they get older, it's part of ageing.......... RUBBISH!

by Joe Newbold • 14 June 2018

This x-ray shows the cross-sectional area of a thigh for two individuals in their 70's.

Muscle mass decreases if unused - "If you don't use it, you lose it". Muscle mass controls part of our natural metabolism and when you lose muscle, your metabolism drops but how people eat doesn't change. Therefore they change from calorie maintenance to calorie surplus and put on weight as a result. But they blame age for the increased weight, not that they lost muscle because they became less active.

Can it be changed...... DEFINITELY. Increase your daily exercise, especially strength/resistance training.

Keep moving people 💪 💪 💪

Why have a Personal Trainer / Coach?

by Joe Newbold • 10 March 2018

What are the benefits of working with a Personal Trainer / Coach?

THE COST OF GETTING LEAN? IS IT WORTH IT?

by Joe Newbold • 10 March 2018

Getting ripped, six-pack, sexy abs, tight butt - all associated with the cover model / beach body look, but what does it really take to achieve that look?? The guys over at Precision Nutrition (Canada) produced this awesome infographic which very simply highlights not only what has to be done to achieve a certain goal but also what you would need to sacrifice in the process. It really helps put into perspective the vision of the body you have in mind versus what you'll actually need to do to get there. Is your goal realistic based on what you are willing or not willing to change?? So, simply choose the goal you have in mind, then decide whether you are willing to live the lifestyle to achieve it. If so, crack on, if not, re-evaluate your goal and make the changes you think you are willing to bring into your lifestyle. For the full infographic breakdown, go to: https://www.precisionnutrition.com/cost-of-getting-lean-infographic

Weight Loss techniques - Combine Protein, Carbs & Fats with each meal/snack

by Joe Newbold • 1 March 2018

This will help effective fat loss, maintain consistent energy levels and balance blood sugar levels. Many people I have come into contact with over the years have a diet that consists of 60-70% carb based foods (cereal, bread, pasta etc).

Weight Loss techniques - Stay Hydrated

by Joe Newbold • 3 February 2018

Effective Long Term Weight Loss - Stick to the basics - Stay Hydrated

Weight Loss techniques - Balance Your Blood Sugar Levels - Divide by 5

Good Foods vs Bad Foods for weight loss

The foundation of a weight-loss journey

MYTH: Everyone puts on weight as they get older, it's part of ageing.......... RUBBISH!

Why have a Personal Trainer / Coach?

THE COST OF GETTING LEAN? IS IT WORTH IT?

Weight Loss techniques - Combine Protein, Carbs & Fats with each meal/snack

Weight Loss techniques - Stay Hydrated

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