3. How the Machine Works
The Ultimate Equation
Feeding Your Metabolism
The Weight-Creep Syndrome
Low-Fat Is Not Low-Cal
The Old Binge Weekend
In a Nutshell
4. The Science of Eating
Macronutrients: The Big 3
Using and Storing Energy
Pace Yourself
Always Include Protein
The Right Proportions
The Evolutionary Perspective
The Caveman's Adaptive Mechanisms
The Common-Sense Solutions
The Magic of Fiber
What to Drink?
A Little More Effort
In a Nutshell
5. The "E" Word
Exercise Is Not Just About Burning Fat
Begin by Moving More
Boost Your Metabolism
How Much Exercise Is Needed?
Aerobics or Weights?
Hitting a Plateau
Just Do It - With a Buddy
In a nutshell
6. Tips and Tricks
Emotional Eating
Talk Yourself Out of It
Chew Your Food
The 6-Minute Rule
Get Enough Sleep
Drink Water
Drink Green Tea
Use a Smaller Plate
Weighing Yourself
Manage Your Stress
7. The 10 Golden Rules
Appendix A - High-Fiber Foods
Appendix B - Meal Suggestions
Breakfast ideas
Snacks
Lunches
Suppers
Use your imagination
Appendix C - References
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Exercise Is Not Just About Burning Fat
Yes, the "E" word is exercise.
A few hundred years ago, people didn't exercise. They didn't have to. They were too tired from hauling water from the river, plowing the field, herding cattle... all this to put together a meal for the family. Back then, being fat was a symbol of wealth since it indicated you must have servants to do all this work.
As a sophisticated machine, your body is designed to operate at peak efficiency under very specific conditions, and these conditions include both the correct "fuel" (whole natural foods) and the correct operating environment (fresh air and a sufficient amount of physical activity). Through natural selection, human bodies have evolved to operate best under these conditions and, up until just recently, this was the environment they were normally operating under.
Today, not only are we feeding our body incompatible foods, but we are also depriving it of one of its essential operating conditions: physical activity. The result is not only an epidemic of obesity, but also a slew of preventable diseases.
If you were to fill up your car with contaminated gasoline and let it idle in the driveway all day, you would also find the engine getting clogged up quickly because that's not how it was designed to operate.
So, physical activity is a required part of a healthy life, just as proper nutrition is. It's not just about burning calories, but it's also about keeping the entire machine, from your organs all the way down to your cells, working at peak efficiency to better resist diseases and other malfunctions.
Athletes train a particular way for strength, a different way for speed and yet another way for stamina. Similarly, there is an optimum way to train for weight loss and this is what we will examine in this chapter.