The most scientific way to determine your ideal weight is by calculating your body mass index; divide your weight in kg by your height x 2 in meters.
If your BMI is
- Less than 18.5 you are underweight
- Between 18.5 and 24.9 you are normal and healthy
- Between 25 and 30, you are overweight
- Over 30, you are obese
Obesity is worldwide busy taking on pandemic measures:
- 57% of SA women are overweight
- Teenagers in the USA buy a dress size two times bigger, than their mothers did at the same age
- There is a demand for bigger towels, aeroplane seats and even bigger coffins
- In England 1000 persons become obese on a daily basis
- A study done from 1986 – 2000, indicates that obsetiy has increased among women from 18% to 22%, and amongst men from 13% to 22%
What are we doing wrong
Are we eating more in terms of calories, no, calories intake has decreased. What you need to know about calories: 1 Cal = 4 kj; 1g fat supplies 9 Cal; 1g Alcohol supplies 7 Cal; 1g Protein supplies 4 calories and 1g Carbs (Sugar) supplies 4 Cal.
Are we eating too much fat. No, fat intake in our diet has decreased by 4% over 14 Years as a result of our consiousness of fat content and availability of low fat foods.
Are we less active. No, actually, we are equally active or inactive.
The cause of the obesity pandemic can be ascribed to the increased intake of SUGAR and STIMULANTS. Examples of sugars or simple carbohydrates are sweets, glucose, sucrose (white sugar), chocolate, cold drinks, energy drinks, smart drinks, cocktails, white bread, white flour foods ie, cake, biscuits, pastries, pasta, pies, etc. Examples of stimulants are mainly caffeine which abounds in coffee, tea, and cola drinks.
What happens when we eat simple sugars. The large amount of sugar is very quickly absorbed by the bloodstream after sugar is eaten. The body reacts immediately by releasing an abundance of insulin from the pancreas. Insulin’s function is to remove the sugar from the bloodstream into the muscle and liver cells where it is supposed to be used for energy. An excess amount of sugar (more than is required for immediate energy and to fill the muscle and liver storage cells), will be deposited in the adipose (fat) tissue under the influence of insulin.
Because an excessive amount of insulin was released, all sugar is immediately removed from the bloodstream (even good sugar originating from complex carbohydrates). The sudden radical drop in blood sugar is enterpeted by the body as a state of emergency, and two things happen as a result;
- A sugar craving is caused, so that it is almost impossible not to succumb to the temptation to eat something sweet.
- Adrenaline is released from liver stores, which causes blood sugar to be deposited back into the bloodstream in case energy is required to “fight or flee”.
The sugar originating from 1 and 2 above, is however not required for fighting or fleeing from danger (because there is not a real emergency), so that insulin is once again released to remove sugar from the bloodstream and convert it to fat for storage in the adipose tissue. The cycle repeats itself over and over, which is what we call an ‘insulin roller coaster‘
Ultimately, the pancreas becomes exhausted and ends up producing no or an inferior quality insulin, which is what we call Adult Onset Diabetes or Diabetes Type 2.
Stimulants like coffee, cola drinks, cigarettes, drugs, pseudo-ephedrines (appetite suppressants like Thins), also stimulate the release of adrenalin, which causes above cycle to repeat itself again.
In addition, it is estimated that 25% of people are insulin resistant. This means that they don’t have the natural ability to stabilise their bloodsugar levels. One of the reasons is a deficiency in essential micro-nutrients, of which chromium and essential fatty acids (Omega Oils) are most likely. Insulin resistant individuals should supplement on a daily basis with foods rich in chromium: whole grains, potatoes, prunes, peanut butter, nuts and seafood.