By It’s become common knowledge that drastically reducing your daily caloric intake can actually do more harm than good when it comes to weight loss. Consuming less than 1,200 calories per day leads to a significant decrease in the body’s metabolic rate and stimulates the breakdown of muscle. Studies reveal that long-term fasting can decrease the metabolism by as much as 40 percent and this side effect cannot be easily corrected.
It could take as long as one year to get your body back into balance. The safest approach is to eliminate unhealthy foods, follow a sensible exercise program and increase your consumption of the essential nutrients known to speed up weight loss.
Calcium
Boosting calcium consumption can help spur weight loss. People with low levels of calcium produce higher levels of calcitriol and calcitriol triggers the production of fat cells. Dr. Michael Zemen from the Nutrition Institute at the University of Tennessee estimates in his study, reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, that a high dairy diet can boost weight loss as much as 70 percent. Calcium is also beneficial for preventing osteoporosis and lowering blood pressure.
Protein
Nothing satisfies hunger better than protein. A study, reported in the Journal of Nutrition, revealed that a high-protein diet combined with exercise increased weight-loss and improved blood fat levels. The Recommended Dietary Allowance for men is 56 grams per day and for women it’s 46 grams per day. For weight-loss, experts recommend consuming approximately 120 grams per day. Protein should form roughly 35 percent of your daily caloric intake.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are considered essential fatty acids. If we want our bodies to work properly, we have to have them. They are primarily found in certain fish such as sardines, sturgeon, trout and tuna. They are also found in olive oil, flaxseed oil, walnuts and soybean oil. Fatty acids serve as energy for the heart and muscles as well as form the building blocks for cell membranes and energy stored in the body.
Monounsaturated Fatty Acids (MUFAs)
These are known as the healthy fats. They are found in foods like olives, nuts, sunflower seeds, avocados and sesame seed oil. Australian scientists at the Menzies School of Health Research showed that substituting MUFAs for dietary saturated fats led to weight loss. MUFAs are oxidized more easily than saturated and polyunsaturated fats. The American Heart Association recommends that fats should make up 25 to 30 percent of your diet, with MUFAs making up approximately 12 to 20 percent of that.
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Conjugated Linoleum Acid (CLA)
A study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that CLA reduces fat and preserves muscle tissue. CLA is found mainly in the meat and dairy products derived from cud chewing animals. Kangaroo meet is known to have a high concentration. It’s also found in eggs and can also be consumed as a supplement. CLA is believed to increase the metabolic rate, enhance muscle growth, lower cholesterol, lower insulin resistance and enhance the immune system.
Vitamin D
A study conducted by the University of Minnesota found that overweight people have better success losing weight when their vitamin D levels were increased. Vitamin D, combined with calcium and sunlight, helps regulate blood sugar levels. Vitamin D works together with the hormone lepton. Lepton is responsible for letting the brain know when the body is full and therefore has an important role to play in appetite control.
If there is a vitamin D deficiency, the Lepton cannot work properly and the body can’t tell when it’s full. This leads to overeating and weight gain. Vitamin D is found in salmon, tuna, fish liver oils, milk, eggs and mushrooms. Vitamin D also plays an important role regulating the immune system and without it, the intestine would not be able to absorb calcium and phosphorous.
Reducing calories is just one part of the weight loss puzzle. The other important part is the role of essential nutrients. Without the proper nutrients, permanent weight loss may be next to impossible. By adding the proper essential nutrients, including those listed above, weight loss becomes easier and more sustainable.
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