LIKE MORE THAN 35 PER CENT OF AUSTRALIANS, GEMLIFE WOODEND RESIDENT HEATHER LLOYD GAINED A FEW EXTRA ‘COVID KILOS’ DURING VICTORIA’S ROLLING LOCKDOWNS AND RESTRICTIONS THROUGHOUT THE HEIGHT OF THE PANDEMIC.
In this month’s episode of Living Proof by GemLife, accredited practising dietitian and metabolic health specialist Carly Barlow talked to Heather about her goal of losing weight without compromising energy levels in order to keep up with her four grandchildren.
Carly said for Heather, like most people trying to lose weight, she recommended reducing starchy carbohydrates and balancing portion sizes.
“Heather’s diet was pretty good overall so for her it was about making little tweaks in order to achieve her goals,” she said.
“Good metabolic health is important to energy levels, weight management and vitality and to optimise this, it’s important to ensure macro nutrients – proteins, fats, and carbs – are in balance.
“For example, if you’re looking at a meal on a plate, half should be made up of non-starchy veggies, one quarter – or roughly the size of your palm – should be proteins, and the last quarter, or a little less, can be starchy carbs.”
Carly said starchy carbohydrates eaten in higher portions break down into glucose in the blood which produces insulin which in turn tells the body to store fat.
“By reducing blood sugar levels – and the hormonal response which triggers insulin to draw fat around the mid-section and organs, you can minimise unhealthy visceral fat.”
Heather said she had spoken with other dieticians in the past, but Carly was the first to discuss the link between weight gain and hormones.
“I had always been able to eat whatever I wanted and was a size eight my whole life but as soon as menopause happened, my metabolism slowed down and I gained weight,” she said.
“It was so nice to hear there was a reason for my weight gain – not just being told it was what I was putting into my mouth.
“It made me feel better about myself to know the weight gain was hormone related. Since menopause, my weight has yo-yoed and even when I have lost weight in the past, it’s come back without me changing what I was doing.”
Heather has already lost a couple of kilos since consulting with Carly and plans to keep going at a slow and steady pace.
“I’ve put into action Carly’s advice about portion sizes and that’s helped. Once I lose five kilograms, I’ll look at upping my proteins and reducing carbs,” she said.
“The whole experience with her and with the film crew was really interesting and different!”
Carly has also undertaken additional training in gut health, eating disorders, FODMAPS and behaviour change. She previously worked as a Nutritionist at the Gwinganna Health Retreat and is a member of the Australian & New Zealand Obesity Surgery Society (ANZMOSS) and is Vice Convenor of the Dietitians Australia Bariatric Surgery Interest Group.
What is visceral fat?
Visceral body fat, also known as ‘hidden’ fat, is fat stored deep inside the belly, wrapped around the organs, including the liver and intestines. It makes up about one tenth of all the fat stored in the body.
Visceral fat produces more toxic substances than subcutaneous fat, so it is more dangerous. Even in thin people, having visceral fat carries a range of health risks. Generally, visceral fat is more common in men than in women, however, as women get older, especially after menopause, they are more likely to develop fat around the belly (even if they don’t put on weight).
Having visceral fat in the belly is a sign
of ‘metabolic syndrome’, a collection of disorders that include high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol and insulin resistance. Together, these increase the risk of stroke, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
The best way to reduce visceral fat is through weight loss and diet. Visceral fat responds better to diet and exercise than fat on the hips, and regular exercise can also stop visceral fat from coming back.
Source: HealthDirect