Resveratrol

Let´s quickly look at resveratrol which has been and still is a hot potato.

Resveratrol (3,5,4'-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene) is a type of natural phenol, and a phytoalexin produced naturally by several plants when under attack by pathogens such as bacteria or fungi. Wiki It is for example found in grapes and thus a ingredient of red wine.

The studies that most articles and books rely on is studies done on mice and worms and short lived fish. In these studies some positive cardiovascular effects and lowering of blood sugar has been found in mice. When testing the longevity factor on the short lived fish there are studies that show an increase in age by 40% procent. But let´s remember, this is short lived fish not complex on top of the food chain humans!

There was an trial done on humans in India where they were given a very high dose of resveratrol and this test showed decreased blood sugar levels which was seen as an positive effect of resveratrol. But remember, this was a extremely high dose, 3-5 g, which was taken during 28 days.

Lets compare this to a glass of wine. One glass, 125 ml, contains no more than 1 mg of resveratrol so is there any proof that 2 mg (2 glasses day) increases longevity and decreases high blood sugar? No, not to my knowledge.

(If you are interested to know more about resveratrol, testings, findings and more go and visit this blog which has an very interesting in depth article on the subject. )

Is red wine healthy?

Firstly, I chose to focus on red wine because that´s usually what people ask about and that´s where the regular debate is. Red wine is the one drink that is most affiliated with food. Its also the one drink that people associate with longevity and health benefits.

Isn’t this a site about planning your meal?

Yes it absolutely is. Why I'm focusing on red wine is because it´s such an culturally excepted drink and like I wrote in the last post can affect your health and actually increase your weight gain; not necessarily because red wine is high in calories but because of the after effects that drinking has on your hunger and decision making.

Let´s be logical

Secondly, there is, excuse my french, no kiss ass articles on this blog. I write about health, diet and over all well being in a way that´s logical and that can in reality benefit you and me. If you are looking for an article that, after you have read it, assures you that your drinking habit is fine then you have come to the wrong place and you might as well read another article. So, with that said let´s get started.

Evidence and proof

like I mentioned in my last post there are studies that have shown that wine and small amounts of alcohol can have positive affects on the health. It is proven that alcohol have a thinning affect on the blood, prevent heart disease and fight certain cancers. It is proven that wine contains resveratrol which can positively affect us humans.

The paragraph above is something you can read on the Internet in papers and health magazines all the time. After reading it you starting feeling contempt with yourself and you don’t feel guilty anymore because it´s now PROVEN that alcohol is healthy for you. The word PROVEN is used very dangerously and we automatically relax and don’t delve into the subject any further. Why should I, they say its PROVEN!

False certainty

Normally we are not out to change but we are looking for someone to calm us down and concur with us so we can keep on living the same way without taking action and drastically changing our habits. Usually we don’t want the truth. But, the truth will set us free and the truth can be hard, it can take a lot of discipline and make us alter our way of thinking in everyday life but in the end it is far better to be honest then to delude ourselves.

In the next post I will cover reveratrol and other declared health benefits of red wine.

Image: John Kasawa / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Can I drink alcohol while loosing weight?

I´m going to get down to the point right away; there is no need to beat around the bush. To answer the title, the answer is-to make it simple-a no. If you are trying to lose weight and live a healthy lifestyle, alcohol is a big no no.

Of course, beer and hard liquor is far worse than wine but if you are looking for the best you can get it´s just in your best interest to stay away from the % all together.

Yes I know, there are studies out there that points towards the healthy aspects of drinking beer and wine. I´m not trying to deny that, but I´m going to show you the real reason why you should stay away from alcohol all together so read on.

A glass of wine...
...contains about 85-95 (a normal glass 125 ml) calories depending on the size of the glass. So, if you drink two glasses in one night you have consumed about 170 calories. That´s not an alarming figure at all. The challenge is that with the wine there is usually food and it´s here where it gets tricky.

When you drink you have an increased longing for food and you eat more even if you are full. Your perception of what is enough starts "going out the window". So, you appetite skyrockets and so does your dopamine levels. It is now easier for you to make the decision that Yes, I'm worth another plate, or I'm worth another glass! So you take another plate of food or you order another dish or you decide that you really need a cup of chili nuts!

So the alcohol contributed about 170 calories depending on how many glasses of wine you had but the affect of the alcohol on the brain resulted in you eating more calories than you would have had done if alcohol was not apart of your evening. Let´s say, for the sake of argument, that because of the consumption of alcohol you consumed 500 calories more than you needed or planned to eat. So instead of two glasses being 170 calories they ended up being 335 calories per glass!

Usually the eating doesn't stop there. When you come home or when the quest go home it is far more easy to fall in the trap to eat even more food, especially food with sugar and salt. If you consumed a few glasses to much you are probably going to feel a strong urge for hamburgers or pizza the next day or something else that is high in fat, sugar and carbohydrates.

SO, to sum it up. The two, three glasses actually ended up to be around 750 calories each!
This is the real reason why you should, if you are serious about loosing weight and staying in shape, stay away from alcohol.

Image: Matt Banks / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Be smart with your Diet

It is very easy to over eat especially when we are programmed by todays society to stuff our stomaches with super sized meals and all you can eat buffets. That´s one reason why I particularly don´t like to eat at places that offer buffets.

I don´t want to put myself in that situation to have to reason with my brain about my diet: "No, one serving is enough, I said...NO! Really? You think I´m worth it..I don´t know...I´m kind of full already..ooh, you think I can take just one more small serving? Ok then, thank you brain..I trust you." It does´nt work. Maybe you have the strength to withstand the urge to milk every penny out of the food they serve but I can´t.

One thing that I´m a strong believer of is this: DO NOT put yourself in a situation that you know you may not be able to handle. It´s just not smart. If I´m trying to loose weight, keep my diet and feel better why should I go to a restaurant that serves MEGA plates or have buffé? It doesnt make any sense.

The same goes at home. If you want to keep your healthy diet it´s not smart, when you serve the food, to always use the biggest plates. Mix it up. Sometimes you use regular plates and sometimes you eat on smaller plates. It´s all about tricking your brain. Use your senses to your advantage.

Tip 1: Change a habit-eat less!

A cozy habit, but is it the best?

When eating breakfast/lunch/dinner we have always placed the food on the table and then served ourself´s. We sit and fellowship and it is very easy to take seconds, thirds and even fourths. Sure, this is a way to bring the food closer to the people and create a warm healthy family atmosphere but unfortunately it doesn't help the person that has an urge to take seconds and thirds. (Of course, it depends how big the portions are. We will get to that later!).

Take away one sense

I am of the belief that what you can´t see you can resist. The challenge is that when the food is right under your nose so to speak the brain has a very hard time disconnecting from the overeating urge. There is both sight, smell involved.

If you just take away on of the senses the urge will automatically decrease and it is possible to withstand the urge to overeat and thus still enjoy the food but with out overindulging.

This is how the mind works

If the mind knows that it´s going to receive a set amount of something it will conform to handle it. Let´s say you are planning to run a 10K. Before you run you are programming your self to handle the distance. You see the track or road in your mind and you set yourself up to complete it.

The same works for eating. If you before hand put an amount of food on the plate your mind conforms to that amount. The mind gets ready for the fact that I´m not going to recieve anymore that what I´m seeing.

Habit change

So we changed the game plan. My dad Lars had always done this but it wasn't until now that I saw the health benefits of changing the habit.

Instead of putting the food on the table I started pre serve ourselves/guests restaurant style.

We put up the plates in the kitchen, decorate them beautifully with salad and then place the same amount on each plate. It´s like magic. Everyone eats less and everybody feels better.

Of course, if someone feels for a second it´s perfectly fine but the beautiful thing about it that even if you take seconds you usually end up eating much less than before.

Planning is everything

This page is going to cover three important aspects:

-Planning your meals, taste-wise, so you can enjoy the food in the best possible way

-Planning your meals without totally emptying your bank account

-Planning your meals in advance and thus staying away from the unhealthy aspects of over-eating.