GUY'S TIP: Rev it up

It seems logical – skip a meal and you will lose weight. Right? WRONG! Believe it or not, if you want to aid weight loss or maintain your current weight you need food. This may sound stupid but our bodies are not designed to lose weight. You can thank our ancestors for that!

Like a car, your body needs fuel to help get you through the day. Glucose (sugar) is the main fuel for your body and the only fuel that your brain can use. Your body is designed to keep your blood glucose levels within a limited range. If you skip a meal your body will go into what is called starvation mode.

During starvation mode, your body will use up you carbohydrate for energy, when your carbohydrate stores run out, you will start to burn up protein and finally fat. As you fast, your stores of carbohydrates become depleted as they are used to supply the body with glucose. Prolonged fasting, will see your blood glucose levels drop. This will then result in your body looking for another fuel source to maintain daily functions.

Instead of using the fat stores which a lot of us assume we use, protein stores are next to be broken down and used for energy. This protein normally comes from your muscles. However, because protein is essential for proper functioning of your body and is vital for survival, the remaining protein is preserved and your body starts to breakdown fat for energy. Fat is broken down to form ketone bodies which is not your body's most preferred fuel source and as a result can have negative effects such as nausea, fatigue, constipation, lowered blood pressure and a stale mouth taste.

When you swap from using carbohydrate as a fuel source, to using protein and fat, your body reduces its energy output or energy expenditure, in an attempt to protect fat and muscle tissue. As you breakdown your body's protein stores, you are losing muscle which results in a weaker muscle that burns less energy. At the same time, your body’s hormone production slows down your body's metabolism (or metabolic rate) also in an attempt to conserve muscle tissue. These combined actions result in a reduced weight loss and a slower metabolism, the opposite of what you want to achieve.

Another negative side effect of skipping meals is that this action normally results in binge eating at a later date which leads to a rapid increase in your blood glucose levels and an increase in your blood triglycerides (transport vehicle for fat). This can result in an increase in fat storage - often not what you are looking for.

Rules for driving a metabolism to help aid weight loss or achieve weight maintenance includes:

• Don't skip breakfast - get up at least 10 minutes earlier in the morning so that you have time for breakfast in the morning. A mega muffin and an extra large coffee at 10am is not the best start to your day.
• Eat lunch - at the start of each week, take some bread, fruit, crackers, tins of tuna and baked beans and nuts to work, and keep them in your fridge and desk drawer. There will be no excuse for skipping lunch as you will always have something on hand.
• Get active - start to include some structured exercise into your day. The more you move the more energy you will burn and this will impact on your weight. Aim for at least 5 sessions of 30-40 mins of moderate intensity exercise each week.
• Lift weights - weight training will increase muscle mass and help to boost your metabolism. It'll also tone you up and keep you looking good for your partner.
• Eat slowly - it takes 20 minutes for your stomach to register that there is food present, so put you knife and fork down between each mouthful and chew slowly. Do scoff food down when you get home from work either. Prepare a meal and sit down at the table to eat it.