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Intro

Oh boy… I did it this time. I wanted to explain a fairly complex issue, in simple terms. If you know me, you know that I can go off on tangents and analogies in an attempt to make a complex issue easier to understand. Well, this article took many re-writes. It’s twice as long as what I usually shoot for, but I think in the end, it’s understandably readable. I hope. Usually, my goal is to share a couple of articles and keep the reading time down to about 10-15 min. This article introduces something I thought you would find interesting and I felt was important to share with you. I just couldn’t simplify it and shorten it any more than I did. So, with that in mind, I am only sending one article this week. I will include a recipe at the bottom just for fun if you are feeling adventuresome.

weekly article

Title: Unraveling the Complexity of Weight Gain: Beyond Calories In, Calories Out

What is weight gain? Is it as simple as calories in vs calories out? This notion has been prevalent for years, but is it truly accurate? The growing epidemic of weight gain, especially among Americans, challenges the simplicity of this equation. Many people have had the experience of eating something “bad”… like pizza, or chocolate cake, and then gaining 2 pounds the next day. Have you had that experience? I know I did over the holidays. Here is the thing… its impossible to gain that in fat, that fast. In my case, I put on about 10 lbs from Thanksgiving to New Year’s. Did I overeat? No, not really. Did I eat foods that I know my body doesn’t like? Yup, sure did. I can tell you that if the math was correct on the calorie theory and that was truly the only way we gained weight, it would mean that I had to have consumed an EXTRA 41,000 calories. A pound of body fat is somewhere between 3500-4100 calories, depending on your calculations.

My BMR (basal metabolic rate) is approximately 1800 calories before movement. I spend too much time at the computer so let’s just say I only burn 200 calories per day. That would give us roughly 2000 calories per day to maintain my current weight. Hopefully, we all move more than just 200 calories per day but it makes for a nice round number. Now, to gain 10 pounds of fat, I would need to consume an extra 1000-1300 calories on top of my 2000 calories, every day for a month. I didn’t come anywhere close to that. In fact, I would guess most days I am just under 2000 calories. So what happened? Let’s look at other reasons for weight gain.

Many Americans, when traveling overseas, find themselves eating more than usual yet are surprised to lose weight. Why is this? Science has sought answers for years, and while we may not have a definitive answer, we can make educated guesses.

The conventional wisdom surrounding calories is flawed. We're taught that protein and carbs are worth 4 calories per gram, while fat is worth 9 calories per gram. This led to the advice to cut down on fat due to its higher calorie content. However, this oversimplification ignored the multifaceted roles of proteins, carbs, and fats. Protein is vital for muscle/tissue building and repair, carbs for energy, and fats for various functions such as cell structure, energy, vitamin transport, hormone production, and repair.

The flawed advice to cut down on healthy fats often resulted in their replacement with carbs or chemicals. Despite the prevalence of fat-free foods and gyms, weight gain in Americans persisted. An illustrative example is the substitution of healthy butter with margarine, essentially a trans fat. Next time you are eating out at a restaurant, ask your server if they use butter or margarine. You may be surprised that most use margarine. This product was sold as a “healthy” alternative to butter, but in my opinion its toxic and should be avoided. The misconception of calories in vs calories out and the faulty food pyramid may not only be inaccurate but also detrimental to health. The idea that saturated fats cause heart disease, originating from Ancel Keys, has influenced global dietary patterns. Have you heard of Ancel Keys? Maybe not, but how you eat was definitely influenced by his recommendations and his research. The research is shady at best. In fact, his colleagues laughed at his research initially. Not only were false conclusions made but he omitted data that didn’t support his desired outcome. I am sure Ancel Keys will come up again, but in order to keep this article somewhat on track and not too long, if you want to read more, click here 

I am not saying that calories can be completely dismissed but it is not the only answer. As it is with most things in the human body, its more complex that that. We are not machines. There is one thing about calories that I would like to point out. I know I say that processed foods should be avoided and I am sure you have heard that quite a bit, but why? There are a few reasons but here is one that you don’t usually hear. I am sure you have heard that processing foods strips away nutrients. This is true. They do this for a variety of reasons, but one common reason is to extend shelf life. The nutrients they strip away often act synergistically with the parts that were not stripped away. Sometimes removing components affects how the food is used by our bodies. They did a study years ago, giving pigs “enriched flour” foods. The pigs all suffered health problems. Not so for the pigs that ate whole grain. One aspect that is not often talked about is the absorption rate. I will try to keep this explanation brief, but if you took corn, let’s say 100 calories of it, and you took corn flakes, again 100 calories of it, you would notice a big difference in blood sugar levels. Corn would cause a slow rise in blood sugar, but cornflakes would be more similar to eating a donut. It would cause a spike in blood sugar. The processing of the corn removed attributes that would have slowed the breakdown and absorption of the food. On paper, both were 100 calories but they caused a very different response.

Recent research and drugs focus on Leptin resistance, but stepping back reveals a broader perspective. Obesogens, once dismissed, are now acknowledged by the Western medicine community. These chemicals are in our foods, like Bisphenol-A (BPA), Triflumizole, emulsifiers, antibiotics, hormones, and Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA), disrupt hormones, leading to weight gain, metabolic issues, and increased fat storage. Moreover, estrogen mimickers or xenoestrogens in our foods add another layer of complexity.

Beyond chemicals, factors like digestive irregularities, an underactive thyroid, and stress contribute to weight gain. Hypothyroidism is a fairly common diagnosis in our modern times. Viewing an underactive thyroid from a functional medicine point of view, we consider other things other than just the thyroid. If the thyroid is underactive, you can test for it and indeed see that it is underactive. However, the thyroid does not exist or function alone. It is part of the HPA axis. To oversimplify that, let’s just say that other organs affect its function, especially stress/adrenals. Add to that consideration, the digestive system. Many people who suffer from acid reflux do so because of weak stomach acid, not strong stomach acid. When the harmony of the digestive system is out of balance, dysbiosis (gut bacteria go out of balance) occurs as does nutrient assimilation and commonly, mineral absorption. Its a pet peeve of mine that standard Western medicine does not view the body as a whole and will simply give medications to support the thyroid. Most patients respond to that. The thyroid may have been only one part of the dysfunction, which is why many people treated this way never feel like their “old selves again.”

Modern life, particularly in the USA, is a pressure cooker of stress. Stress induces adrenaline and cortisol imbalances, causing sugar cravings, poor energy regulation, blood sugar issues, and midsection fat accumulation. Fat accumulation can not only put additional stress on the body, but may create hormone imbalances. Especially estrogen, adding to further weight gain. Not only that, but it can add to inflammation and insulin resistance.

When I worked on cruise ships, many years ago, they used to give lectures in the gym about fat and detoxification. It was interesting. Many guests who purchased the detox products, would report back that they lost weight…. By taking baths! This makes no sense if calories are the only cause of weight gain. So what is happening? I really hate the word “toxins” but there is no better word to use here. Maybe we could also say, metabolic waste. Either way, what can happen is the body stores this waste into fat cells. Why would it do this? Inefficient liver, toxic overload, inefficient elimination, or maybe lack of hydration. The trainers in the gym would always say “The solution to pollution is dilution” to illustrate the point that the body stores the waste away from the organs, into fat, and then holds extra water around the area. I had prescribed a homeopathic detox program for patients of a clinic some years ago. It was simple enough, but what was surprising was how much weight many of the patients lost. They were not on a diet, but still lost weight! Standard Process had a 14-day detox, this one did have some diet restrictions, but nothing crazy. Most of the men lost 12-15 pounds… in 2 weeks! That would be impossible if we were only talking about the calorie theory.

Contrary to the belief that weight gain is inevitable with age, a simpler explanation is the loss of muscle mass, coupled with decreased movement and increased sedentary behavior. Movement, not necessarily intense exercise, plays a crucial role in weight management. I didn’t understand this for a long time. In fact, I have heard other medical professionals say that it’s not needed. If you were only looking at the data, and not the patients, it’s easy to see why this thought is common. You burn 1500-2000 calories per day before movement. You might go on the treadmill for 30 min and only burn 150-250 calories. That doesn’t seem to be a whole lot compared to 2000. However, movement does more than burn calories. It moves blood. It strengthens muscles. It helps the lymphatic system move and remove waste from the body. Increase breath rate, again removing waste. Massages the organs. Burns fuel/calories but it also changes how we store calories. Movement does a lot more than just burn calories. Our Fitbit doesn’t do it justice just how important movement is.

Another overlooked aspect is sleep. Rather than accepting poor sleep as an inevitable part of aging, factors like nutrition, TV, stress, and late-night scrolling may be contributing. Lack of sleep disrupts blood sugar and induces stress, affecting blood sugar levels. Next week’s article will be on sleep and blood sugar. It was going to be this week, but I felt that this subject should come first because it’s important to understand how many other factors affect weight and blood sugar. If we understand all of this, then we are less likely to fall for marketing gimmicks that promise us lower calories but in exchange, they feed us chemicals, Obesogens that increase fat accumulation, and xenoestrogens that disrupt our hormones affecting weight and blood sugar.

In summary, our flawed dietary guidelines, chemical-laden foods, stress, fatigue, and poor sleep contribute to weight gain. The conventional calorie-counting approach falls short. Instead, focusing on the quality of food, reducing chemical exposure, and embracing healthy fats can bring positive changes. This holistic approach addresses hormonal balance, blood sugar regulation, balanced function, and overall health.

By making simple lifestyle changes—moving more, reducing chemical exposure, and embracing a diet rich in unprocessed foods—health improvements are achievable. While supplements may be necessary, a cleaner diet reduces dependency. The journey may not be without challenges, but it offers hope and a pathway to better health.

Finally, stay tuned for an upcoming course designed to kickstart your health journey. Regardless of your health goals or concerns, this two-week program provides a foundational start for a healthier new year and beyond.

I hope you found this article interesting and enlightening. If you know anybody else who may be interested in this subject, it would mean a lot if you would please share… or post…. or rent a billboard in Times Square (really any giant billboard would work.) to help our community grow. Thank you!!

I really wanted to discuss some supplements this week, but combined with the above article, it would have turned into a mini-book. So instead, I wanted to share a recipe. This is one, or similar to one that I have tried and now make when I want pizza but want to keep my carbs low. Granted, there are times when you just eat pizza and don’t worry about carbs. No worries. This is for those times when you do worry about carbs AND you really want pizza. I hope you will give it a try. it’s pretty great!

Just a couple of things to add. This recipe looks great, but in the one I make, I use Parmesan cheese instead of Mozzarella for the crust. You need a lot of Parmesan. You will see that the recipe is very forgiving. The first time I made it, I used canned chicken. After that, I boiled chicken breast and used the food processor to get the consistency I wanted. After the first time or two, you just stop measuring and just go with consistency.

The biggest tip I would like to share is…. get the crust as thin as you can. the thinner the better. Take your time. This is the most time-consuming and hardest part of the process but it’s worth it. I also add Italian herbs and lots of garlic to my crust. If the crust is too thick, it tastes like chicken. Not bad, but not the goal. The garlic helps.

Low Carb Pizza

make sure you check out the low-carb Maven website for Kim’s recipe. She gives more details here.

Ingredients

• 1 pound shredded chicken breast (or rotisserie) (approximately 4 cups)

• 1 cup pre-shredded mozzarella cheese (4 oz)

• 2 large eggs

• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preparation:

• Shred the chicken by hand or cut into chunks and place into a food processor to chop. Salt and pepper to taste - until it tastes good!

• Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan (18x13 inch) with parchment paper.

Method:

• Thoroughly mix the ingredients together with a spoon, spatula, or your hand.

• Pat the chicken firmly onto the parchment, spreading it as thin as you can without leaving holes.

• Bake for 20 minutes or until the edges brown and top begins to brown. (You may need to bake it longer depending on your oven.)

• Top with your favorite pizza toppings and bake for 10 minutes more. Cut and serve. Enjoy with a fork. Serves 4.