What’s the Problem, Dr. Korman?
by Dr. Laura Korman
Q: Why can’t I lose weight on this low-calorie diet? I hardly eat anything!
A: My first response usually focuses on the concept of a “diet” to begin with. In itself, this word implies something short-term—you’re either on or off a diet. You might initially make changes that start to move you in the right direction, but nine times out of 10, you will return to the easy and comfortable habits that produce the same results you want to avoid.
Most diets are not sustainable. Whether they involve eating pre-packaged foods, taking stimulant drugs or supplements, injecting unnatural hormones, or eating “low-calorie” foods that leave you unsatisfied and undernourished, they don’t address the changes in lifestyle that are necessary in order to achieve permanent weight loss.
Second, I want to address the reality that all calories are not created equal. A 100-calorie cupcake is metabolized completely different than a 100-calorie avocado. Most people who restrict calories are consuming frequent amounts of food that contains carbohydrates, while excluding foods that contains fat since, gram for gram, fat has more calories.
At face-value, this makes sense, right? However, what many people don’t understand is that carbohydrates—especially processed ones such as breads, baked goods, cereals, crackers, chips, rice and pasta—turn to sugar in the bloodstream. The body will then respond to this elevation of glucose by secreting a hormone called insulin in order to drive this sugar into cells to be utilized for immediate energy.
Insulin also signals the body to store fat. This occurs when glucose frequently remains elevated without the simultaneous need to burn off this excess energy. The cells eventually become resistant to the effects of insulin, and the body has no other choice but to store excess glucose as fat for its “future” energy needs. When we continually signal the body to produce more insulin, we also signal it to store more fat. This is how sugar leads to weight gain—and also increases the risk of diabetes, heart disease and Alzheimer's.
For more information on how lifestyle programs can help you achieve permanent weight loss, call Dr. Korman at 941-629-6700 or visit DrLauraKorman.com/Learn-More.
