Life Weight Loss Centre

Weight Loss Myths and Misconceptions

When it comes to losing weight, there are unfortunately hundreds of myths and ‘must dos’ that make it rather tricky to choose a healthy and proven weight loss method. If you are looking to lose weight, make sure you know how to differentiate between diet myths and facts.

Rapid Weight Loss

Many believe that those who lose weight rapidly will battle to keep the weight off in the long run. This is not 100 per cent true and most often refers to those who fast or only drink water and lemon juice and then immediately revert back to eating rubbish.

Recent studies from the New England Journal of Medicine show that by cutting down on calories and focusing on portion control, people can lose weight and keep it off if they continue to eat healthily.

Breast Feeding Protects Against Obesity

The link between breast feeding your baby and protecting them against obesity is another weight loss myth that all mums need to be aware of. There is no evidence to suggest that those mums who breast feed their babies will decrease their baby’s chance of developing obesity.

Protecting your children against obesity begins and ends with introducing nutritious and recommended foods into their diet as early as possible, and educating them on healthy eating habits and encouraging them to lead an active lifestyle.

Sex Burns Lots of Calories

While there is some calorie burning involved in sexual intercourse, the claim that sex burns hundreds of calories is false. Considering the average sexual encounter only lasts around 6 minutes, this is not sufficient enough time to get a decent daily workout.

To find out more about weight loss surgery in Sydney and other weight loss solutions, contact Life Weight Loss Centre on (02) 8999 8503.

Decoding Common Food Cravings

Craving high amounts of chocolate isn’t just a signal that you might be feeling a little low. Food cravings mean more than simply being hungry, and can actually be a window into our personalities, our lifestyles and our nutrition levels.

Salty Foods

Aside from having a laidback personality, those who constantly crave salty foods can be categorised as having a mineral deficiency. Craving salty foods is the body’s way of responding to a lack of potassium, calcium and iron. While a quick hit of salt and vinegar chips may temporarily trick the body into thinking the problem is solved, this is not a long-term solution.

A Sweet Tooth

Those with a relentless sweet tooth are categorised as the life of the party, good team members and pleasure-seekers, which may explain why they love chocolate and sweets so much. Chocolate is one of the most pleasurable foods because it releases serotonin, the happy hormone, into the brain which can boost energy and mood levels.

Hot and Spicy

Perfectionists at heart, those who crave hot and spicy foods relish in the hotness because they are addicted to the rush it gives them. Eating hot and spicy foods can not only make you perspire but will spike your blood pressure and quicken your heart rate, a feeling that some perfectionists love.

Gastric Bypass Surgery in Sydney

If your attempts to lose weight are not reaping you the rewards you had hoped for it might be time to try weight loss surgery. Life Weight Loss Centre specialises in multiple weight loss surgeries, including gastric bypass surgery, gastric sleeve and gastric banding. Contact their team on (02) 8999 8503 for more information.

Eating More Fruits and Vegetables Can Make You Happy

Eating more green veggies and colourful fruits is not only mandatory for nutritional reasons, but for psychological reasons as well. New research from Harvard School of Public Health has found that people who are eating three or more servings of fruit and vegetables a day are far more optimistic than those who don’t.

Happy Antioxidants

Eating more fruit and vegetables that contain high levels of antioxidants, such as carotenoids found in orange fruits and vegetables and green leafy vegetables, can actually promote happier emotions in the body, leading to an overall positive attitude.

Antioxidants have also been known to promote a de-stressing effect in the body to lower overall stress levels, as well as fight off free radicals which can lead to common diseases.

Which Fruits and Vegetables?

In order to enjoy the benefits of fruits and vegetables make sure you include the following in your diet from now on:

• Carrots
• Blueberries
• Cabbage
• Oranges
• Red cabbage
• Broccoli
• Strawberries
• Cauliflower
• Peaches
• Leeks
• Mushrooms
• Rockmelon
• Pumpkin
• Apricots
• Tomatoes
• Onions
• Beetroot
• Lettuce leaves
• Brussel sprouts
• Spinach
• Eggplant.

Gastric Banding in Sydney

If your attempts to lose weight are not reaping you the rewards you had hoped for it might be time to try weight loss surgery. Life Weight Loss Centre specialises in multiple weight loss surgeries, including gastric bypass surgery, gastric sleeve and gastric banding. Contact their team on (02) 8999 8503 for more information.

Is Your Night-time Routine Affecting Your Weight?

Aside from staying motivated and gaining support, a successful weight loss routine relies on many contributing factors such as eating plans, exercise regimes and regular sleeping patterns.  While the latter might not seem as important as the former, irregular sleeping patterns can actually impede your weight loss goals.

Sleep Tight

Aside from feeling sleepy the next day, not getting enough sleep every night can wreak havoc with hormones in your body. Not only will your body start to crave starchy comfort foods in order to boost energy levels, but your metabolism will likely be disrupted.

Ghrelin and leptin – the hormones in the body that control how hungry or how full we feel – are at peak performance levels during the night, working in tandem to ensure normal appetite levels throughout the next day. Getting fewer than seven hours of sleep every night can throw these hormones off balance resulting in increased ghrelin levels and decreased leptin levels; in other words, your body will be starvation central for the whole of the next day.

Night Moves

A calming night-time routine is imperative to the success of a good night’s sleep. If you are overly active an hour or two before going to bed then it is likely that your sleeping patterns will be unreliable.

Get your body into the habit of winding down an hour or so before bedtime by turning off the TV, turning off the computer and disconnecting yourself from all work related stimuli. It is also a good idea to ensure you don’t drink or eat any substances that contain caffeine at least three hours before going to bed.

Night-time activities that can induce sounder sleeping patterns include reading a book, listening to soft music or enjoying a hot bath or shower.   

Weight Loss Surgery in Sydney

If you are not achieving the weight loss goals you would like to be, contact Life Weight Loss Centre on (02) 8999 8503.

Four Smart and Healthy Substitutes to Store in Your Pantry

It’s not only the sneaky snacks you allow yourself that can add inches to your waistline. The ingredients you use in every day cooking can hinder your weight loss goals, so make sure your pantry is stocked full of these smarter and healthier substitutes:

1. Quinoa

While white rice is a terrific accompaniment in many meals, it contains a high amount of sugar and is believed to increase the risk of diabetes. Substitute white rice in all of your favourite dishes with Quinoa. Quinoa is a gluten free alternative to favoured rice grains and has a much higher nutritional value as it is loaded with protein, phosphorous, magnesium, iron, fibre and calcium.

2. Applesauce

Swapping oil for applesauce is a terrific way to create delicious oil-based baked goods that are also healthy.  Remember to be wary of how much you substitute and try to keep it at a 1:1 ration i.e. if the recipe calls for one cup of oil, use one cup of applesauce instead.

3. Dried Fruit

Whether it’s for a late night craving or an after work nosh, the sugary and salty snacks that take up residence in your pantry are your one-way ticket to diet disappointment. Substitute salty nuts, muesli bars and lollies with dried fruit. Not only will dried fruit satisfy your cravings, but will do so without the addition of extra unwanted sugar. 

Remember to limit yourself to one handful per serving to restrict your calorie intake.

4. Baked Corn Chips

A craving for something salty and crunchy is dangerous; especially when you consider how much fat and salt is contained in one small packet of chips. Substitute your favourite chip varieties with baked corn chips. While the taste difference will be negligible, the nutritional values are worlds apart, with baked corn chips containing far fewer calories.

Contact Life Weight Loss Centre on (02) 8999 8503 for weight loss surgery in Sydney.