Myths and Truths about Weight

What are the pros and cons of dieting to lose weight?

The biggest myth about dieting is the belief that if the amount of calories you consume equals the amount of calories that you burn then you will not gain weight. The belief is that if you decrease the amount of calories you consume then you will lose weight.

This is partially true.  Yes! You will lose weight.  But you will pay for it later. After about four weeks your weight loss will stop or lessen or you might actually begin to gain the weight that you lost. Why?  Due to the severe decrease in calories your body thinks it is starving and will begin to slow down its metabolism. In other words you will begin to burn less calories.

In some cases you will feel fatigued, have difficulty thinking and stop losing weight.  Your weight becomes a yo-yo, up and down.  I always say to my patients that the first three letters of diet is DIE.   When you diet or severely decrease your calories you are disrupting the delicate balance of your body. Your diet should be in balance like everything in nature.

The truth to weight loss is that there is no magic diet.  If you eat what nature intended you to eat, then you would be at your ideal weight very easily.  What did nature intend for you to eat?

• Large amount of good fats per day
• Large amount of protein per day
• Small amount of carbohydrates per day

Can consuming too many fruits, breads and pasta cause you to gain weight?

The myth of eating whole grains and fruits is the belief that these foods are good for you.

Yes! These foods are good for you but they should be consumed in a very limited amount.  The average American consumes 138 grams of carbohydrates a day.  An average piece of bread is 20 grams of carbohydrates.  A banana is 30 grams of carbohydrates.

The truth is that we should consume no more than 72 grams of carbohydrates per day. Hormonal imbalances are created by consuming more than 72 grams per day. These imbalances lead to weight gain, increase belly fat, increase cholesterol and blood pressure as well as many other health related problems.

Can thyroid dysfunction cause you to either gain weight or create the inability to lose weight?

The myth is that normal thyroid blood test values indicate a normal functioning thyroid.

The truth is that many patients I see have normal thyroid blood tests but their thyroid is not functioning normally. This is called thyroid dysfunction.  Thyroid dysfunction means your thyroid blood test values are normal, but have many symptoms including inability to lose weight, weight gain, inability to gain weight, difficulty sleeping, anxiety, cramps in the calves, perspire easily, feel cold, difficulty focusing, heart pounding, difficult or too frequent bowel movements and increase in urination. Your symptoms usually begin slowly and are just annoying.   As time goes on your symptoms get worse and eventually affect all aspects of your life.

You do not have to live with thyroid dysfunction. A Nutrition Response Testing Practitioner can evaluate you to determine if this is your problem. They can inform you about how thyroid dysfunction can inhibit your ability to lose weight, make you gain weight and many other health concerns.

Can being toxic inhibit your ability to lose weight?

The myth is that metal toxicity has nothing to do with the inability to lose weight.

The truth is that toxic metals like fat cells.  Everyone knows that lead can cause lower IQ's in children. How does lead affect a child's IQ?  The brain is mostly made up of fat, thus the lead attaches itself to the child's brain tissue which in turn affects brain function. Fat also resides under our skin.  Thus metals can attach themselves to these fat cells.  This can result in the inability to lose weight even with exercise and prudent dietary changes.

If you are having difficulty losing weight or have areas that are not shrinking, for men this would be the belly or love hands, or for women this would be the buttocks, Nutrition Response Testing can help analyze the underlying cause of the problem.

Dr. Donna Sergi is a leading Holistic Chiropractor in Brooklyn who specializes in natural remedies and Nutritional Response Testing. Visit her website at http://www.healthieruny.com to learn more.