Slim for Life (30 page)
Authors: Jillian Michaels
The sun is our absolute best source of vitamin D, so your number-one option is to spend 15 minutes a day in the sun during off-peak hours (later afternoon). If this is not an option for you, then take a supplement, one that contains not only vitamin D but calcium and
magnesium. It’s very easy to find a supplement that combines these nutrients. One thousand international units (IUs) of vitamin D is the suggested amount to consume each day. The brand I take is called Bone Strength by New Chapter Organics. It has 1,000 IUs of vitamin D
3
with calcium and magnesium.
Another way to pump up your vitamin D and calcium intake without supplements is to eat
yogurt, and I mean healthy yogurt, free of HFCS, high sugar, and additives. Personally I love the consistency of Oikos Greek yogurt. Researchers at the University of Tennessee have found that dieters who ate three servings of yogurt a day lost 22 percent more weight and 61 percent more body fat than those in the study who only cut calories and didn’t include calcium supplementation. Safe to say, yogurt is a solid source of both vitamin D and calcium, helps burn fat, and promotes weight loss. There are countless ways to include it in your diet, too, if you don’t enjoy eating a container of it. Substitute yogurt for mayonnaise when you’re making salad dressing. Use it in a smoothie. Mix it in with whole-grain cereal for breakfast instead of using milk.
Fish oil offers a wide array of health benefits, and you should be supplementing with it, if you’re not allergic. Recent research suggests that fish oil may help you lose fat and build muscle. Several animal studies have shown clearly that diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids, specifically eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (
DHA), found largely in the oil from cold-water fish, lead to significantly lower total body fat stores than those of diets rich in other fatty acids. The exact reasons are unknown, but these studies show that
EPA and DHA suppress “lipogenic gene expression” and increase
mitochondrial lipid oxidization. (Sorry, I know I promised no science lessons.) Basically this means that omega-3s suppress your body’s fat-storing tendencies and support and enhance its
fat-burning ability. There’s limited evidence that consistent
fish oil supplementation in your diet can also reduce
cortisol levels; if that turns out to be true, then decreasing cortisol levels could potentially reduce body fat percentage.
If you don’t regularly eat fish (especially deep-water fatty fish), or if you eat too many processed foods and oils (even though I told you not to), seriously consider adding a fish oil supplement to your daily regimen. Top brands like Barlean’s, Nature’s Made, Nordic Naturals, Solgar, and NOW brands all have strict policies and procedures regarding the manufacture of fish oil, which undergoes molecular distillation to remove mercury and other harmful contaminants. Seeing a decrease in fat and an increase in muscle requires taking 2 to 3 grams of total EPA and DHA per day. And don’t forget, combining a few ounces of
red wine or a handful of
grapes with your omega-3’s enhances your body’s absorption. One caveat: anyone taking a
blood thinner should speak with their doctor and discuss whether it’s safe to take this supplement and if so at what dose.
How can a multi affect your weight? We know that
hormones and healthy biochemistry are built through healthy nutrition. Thyroid hormones, for example, which affect your metabolism and weight, require
selenium,
zinc, and
iodine in adequate quantities. Although in a perfect world we would get our nutrition by eating healthy food, often our diets aren’t varied enough or organic enough to get the nutrients we need for optimal functionality. For this reason, a quality multivitamin is a great idea, not just for your health but also for your physique. The key is quality! Cheap vitamins are not only useless, they can be downright bad for you if they’re loaded with artificial crap like trans fats, sweeteners, and artificial colors. If you’re going to use this tip, spend money on a quality supplement, and make sure to check the ingredients to make sure it’s crap free.
Rainbow, New Chapter Organics, Source Naturals, and Ultimate Nutrition are all good brands.
The little bugs in your gut are super for your overall health, but they also make great weight-loss buddies.
Probiotics boost your body’s ability to absorb vitamins and minerals, and they change the health and balance of your
gut bacteria, subsequently aiding in weight loss. This absorption benefit is incredibly important, because as I’ve mentioned, vitamins and minerals are key for synthesizing
hormones. To make thyroid hormone, for example (a massive metabolic regulator), you need
iodine,
zinc, and
selenium. If your body can’t properly absorb these minerals, your thyroid function will suffer.
With regard to the exact role that healthy gut bacteria play in promoting weight loss, researchers aren’t sure what the mechanism is, but the proof is in the findings. In 2006, Stanford University researchers found that obese people had different gut bacteria ratios than those who maintained a healthy weight, a solid indication that gut flora play a role in overall weight. Another study carried out by researchers at Lund University in Sweden found that adding probiotic bacteria to the diet reduced weight gain. And yet another study suggested that probiotics may help regulate the process by which energy is used by the body. One more: the Center for Health Policy at the Stanford University School of Medicine found that the use of probiotics can help gastric-bypass patients lose weight more quickly. Makes sense to beef up on these beneficial bacteria, doesn’t it?
If you want to squelch
hunger, eat fiber; or if you’re still adjusting your new diet to include high-fiber foods, take a fiber supplement. A recent study found that overweight and obese people who took
a fiber supplement each day reported less hunger after meals than people taking a placebo. This is because fiber helps to “delay gastric emptying,” which means food stays in the stomach longer, making you feel fuller for an extended period of time.
SLIM MYTH:
I have a weight problem because I eat foods like wheat or dairy that my body can’t process.
FAST FACT:
I love when people who have absolutely no knowledge of nutrition or weight loss say this stuff to me. It’s utterly illogical. The inability to “process” foods would mean the foods are not metabolized and calories would not be absorbed. This would lead to weight loss, not gain. By the way, even if you have a food
allergy, no scientific evidence suggests that food allergy causes weight gain. Discomfort, yes.
Bloating, maybe. Weight gain, no.
Ideally, you would eat more vegetables to up your
fiber intake, but if you decide instead to increase your fiber with supplements, be sure to do it slowly (don’t go overboard), and drink plenty of fluids to avoid becoming constipated. The National Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine recommends that men under the age of 50 consume 38 grams of fiber a day, and 30 grams a day over age 50. Women under 50 should consume at least 25 grams of fiber per day, and 21 grams per day over age 50. Most people get only about half of this amount. You can get fancy with your fiber supplements, but a simple bottle of psyllium husk capsules will do the trick nicely. Take as the bottle directs.
Bloating makes you feel very uncomfortable. Even if you’re thin, living through that time of the month, eating a high-
sodium meal, or being low in
potassium can make anyone feel chubby. The solution: drink
water. The more water you drink, the less water you hold. Also, reduce your sodium intake to 1,500 milligrams a day, and eat potassium-rich foods. Doing so will help to flush out your body, as well as eliminate any bloating caused by too much sodium. You can instantly feel and look slimmer just from this simple change of habit.
Here are some great bloat-busting food options that are
potassium-rich: coconut water, banana, papaya, yogurt, lima beans, cantaloupe, and beets. If you don’t have the calories to spare, you can also just take a supplement like Electro Mix (available at any health food store), which has 400 milligrams of potassium with none of the calories.
I’ve talked at great length and in detail in my books and on my website about the important role nutrients play in metabolic function, immunity, and overall wellness. Now I want to specifically address which foods (and the nutrients in them) support and enhance fitness performance. Remember, the harder you train, the more calories you’re going to burn.
•
Iron.
Iron increases blood count by aiding in the formation of red blood cells, which transport
oxygen throughout our bodies, thus improving our total oxygen capacity and facilitating a more intense workout.
Found in grass-fed beef, egg yolks, dark leafy greens
.
•
Quercetin.
According to recent studies, quercetin provides a moderate improvement in performance/endurance in trained athletes and a more significant effect in untrained individuals. This is thought to happen because quercetin boosts
mitochondrial biogenesis, which in turn boosts
VO
2
max (the maximum amount of oxygen an individual can utilize), thereby enhancing endurance exercise capacity. Researchers think seasoned athletes don’t see much of a bump in performance because they’ve already maxed out their mitochondrial production. Bottom line, you could supplement with quercetin in pill form, but eating foods that have it certainly can’t hurt either, especially if you’re just starting out on your exercise regimen.
Found in apple skins and berries.
•
Nitric oxide.
Nitric oxide reduces the amount of oxygen burned by the body during a workout, subsequently boosting the body’s power and endurance. One source is beetroot juice, which researchers believe may work to boost stamina by affecting how the body processes nitrate into nitric oxide. Another source is peppers and spicy foods that contain capsaicin; it activates a receptor found in the lining of blood vessels that leads to an increase in the production of nitric oxide.
Found in beets, jalapeños, and cayenne peppers.
•
CoQ10 and CoQH.
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and coenzyme QH (a more stabilized form of CoQ10) are found only in trace amounts in foods, particularly meats and fish. They exist, however, in all the cells in your body. CoQ10 and CoQH influence the
mitochondria in your body’s cells, which are responsible for converting fatty acids and glucose into energy. Specifically, they’re vital to making
adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy source for your body (which gives you the power and stamina to hit your workout hard). And as I’ve said: the harder you work, the more calories you burn!
Found in grass-fed beef, pork, chicken, salmon, sardines, and mackerel.
DRESS SLIM
Let me be crystal clear about this next piece of advice: there’s no article of
clothing or fashion strategy that will literally take weight off your body (which is why I’m not giving points for the tips in this
section). The clothes you wear, however, and the way you wear them can make you look 10 pounds lighter in seconds. I’m the farthest thing from a fashionista, but the following secrets were given to me by top stylists in L.A., Miami, and New York—and they work! When I learned this stuff and saw the immediate difference it made in the way my body looked, I thought,
Why isn’t this information common knowledge?
While it’s crucial that you do the actual “heavy lifting” when it comes to achieving your sexy slim physique, a little optical illusion here and there is a great way to enhance the results of your slim lifestyle. I’m slim, and I use these tips
all
the time. So pay attention, and then play dress-up.
It lengthens your neck and shows off your collarbone.
Dressing in one color head to toe is the easiest slim trick of all because it creates one long, clean line and doesn’t break your body up into separate visual parts. It also makes you look taller. This tip is a great one for us petite people.
Don’t stuff yourself into clothes that don’t fit. If you do, it will cause rolls and bulges even on the slimmest of women. If you have to wiggle around in the dressing room to get it on, put it back on the rack.
Darker colors will minimize and lighter or shiny ones will highlight. So if you have a thicker waist, wear a brown or black belt. If you want to play down a large double-D chest, avoid wearing a gold or silver blouse.
When you’re trying to deemphasize a “problem area,” wear a crisp fabric, not clingy materials that show everything you’re trying to disguise. Conversely, when you want to show off an area of your body that you feel good about, wear the clingy materials. If you have killer legs but a little muffin top, opt for fitted jeans with a crisp tucked-in shirt as opposed to the stretchy wool sweater and baggy jeans.
Big shapes make you look bigger. I’m telling you, this is true. I learned this one firsthand on a bikini shoot for
Shape
magazine. I wanted to wear the cute boy-short bathing suit, and they wanted me in a small bikini. I insisted that bigger was better, but when I saw the pictures, I realized I was wrong. The bigger the suit, the bigger I looked. The directive you should follow here comes straight from famed costume designer Edith Head: “Wear clothes loose enough to prove you’re a lady, but tight enough to prove you’re a woman.”
You can’t expect every size 8 to fit every size 8 woman. Get a tailor you love and trust to fit your nicer clothes to your body. I know this can get pricey, but once you have a few beautifully tailored staples in your wardrobe, you’ll be prepared for any event and fashion necessity.