WHY IS PERMANENT WEIGHT LOSS SO HARD?
SPOILER: YOUR BODY IS SCARED OF IT
Losing weight is hard — and not just because creating new diet and exercise habits is difficult. The truth is that you’re working against your body’s natural instincts, which is to preserve weight. In other words, even when weight loss is the healthiest thing you can do for your body, physiologically, your body rarely realizes that. How does weight loss work? Complex interactions between hormones and neurons in your hypothalamus control how much you weigh. Your hypothalamus controls your thirst, hunger, and body temperature. The chemicals that interact with the hypothalamus therefore influence your appetite and how much food you eat. In particular, fat cells in your body produce the hormone leptin, which then tells your body when you’ve stored enough fat, thus decreasing your appetite.
A popular, effective way to think of weight loss is “calories in, calories out” (CICN). You want more calories going out than coming in because this helps sustain a caloric deficit which can assist in losing weight. However, not all calories affect your hormones the same way, and being overweight to begin with can interfere with the body’s ability to regulate an appropriate appetite. So, how do I lose weight — for good? Even after following a new diet and exercise regimen, most people are likely to regain about 30%–35% of the weight they’ve lost after one year. After sacrificing those potato chips for sugar snap peas, this is frustrating! But we promise that some changes do help maintain permanent weight loss, including replacing processed foods in your diet. As just one example, according to the Journal of Clinical Investigation, a diet with added fructose (high-fructose corn syrup) is linked to insulin resistance, increased blood sugar levels, and higher triglyceride and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels — but if you replace fructose with regular sugars and glucose, the risk is noticeably less. That said, fruit with natural fructose does not appear to carry the same risks as added fructose. Our bodies are complex machines. Many factors beyond diet (genetics, medical comorbidities, long-standing diabetes, stress, sleep, etc.) can affect your ability to lose weight. The best path to a healthier weight is to move more and find multiple ways to live a healthier life, one small step at a time.
LAUGH THERAPY
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Inspired by Saveur.com
INGREDIENTS
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6 ears of corn
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Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
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1 1/2 cups ricotta
2 tbsp unsalted butter, diced
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
Chives and scallions, finely chopped
2 tbsp thyme, finely chopped
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 325 F. 2. In a large grill pan on high heat, cook the corn until charred on all sides. Let cool, then cut the kernels from the cob. 3. In a food processor or blender, purée two-thirds of the kernels with the cream, ricotta, flour, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper, and stir in remaining whole kernels. 4. Pour into an 8-inch baking dish. Sprinkle Parmesan on top, and dot with butter. Bake for approximately 1 1/2 hours, until bubbly. 5. Garnish with chives and scallions before serving. 3 (858) 675-1133
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