Carb Cycling for Weight Loss: Does It Work?

by Kristen Domonell

We all remember the low-carb diet craze, which demonized carbohydrates in favor of high protein intake. Atkins-like diets helped people shed weight quickly, but were far from perfect. Some research suggested lower-carb diets could increase the risk of heart disease, and dieters often gained the weight right back after reintroducing carbs.

Now, carb cycling, a diet that alternates between high and low carb days, promises similar results, without depriving the body of any macronutrients. But can you have your cake and eat it too?

The Skinny

Believe it or not, the concept of carb cycling actually came from the bodybuilding industry, says personal trainer Heidi Powell, of ABC’s Extreme Weight Loss. They would bulk up while building muscle, then carb cycle to reduce their final layer of fat. Trainers caught on, and experimented to see if everyday people could manipulate their carb intake and get similar results.

After seeing how well it seemed to work, Powell started putting all her weight loss clients on carb cycling programs. She says they see dramatic changes as a result of the diet combined with exercise. Some research backs it too, including one British study that found that women who eliminated carbohydrate-rich foods twice a week (and ate their normal diet the rest of the time) lost an average of nine pounds over four months. Women on a 1,500-calorie Mediterranean diet, on the other hand, lost only five pounds in that time.

When a person pulls carbs from their diet for an extended period of time, they lose fat as well as a lot of water weight, explains Powell. But the longer they deprive themselves of carbs, the more they decrease their metabolism. Reintroducing carbs causes the body to rebound, holding onto every bit of carbs, sugar and water it can.

With carb cycling, the body is never deprived of carbs long enough to slow the metabolism, and is able to get into a catabolic fat burning state on the low carb days. Essentially, the high carb days act as “boost” days, increasing metabolism, and the low carb days act as “burn” days, when the body is an optimal state to burn fat.

The Plan

The goal of carb cycling is to consume the most amount of carbohydrates possible while still making progress towards your goal, says Roger Lawson, C.S.C.S., a trainer at All-Access Fitness Academy in Shrewsbury, MA. The more intense a workout, the more carbohydrates will need to be ingested to fuel a session. But there’s a fine line between fueling up and impeding progress.

The “Classic Cycle,” a straightforward plan designed by Powell’s husband Chris (and featured in his book Choose to Lose: The 7-Day Carb Cycle Solution), alternates between low-carb and high-carb days, with the seventh day as a reward day. On the reward day, you can eat foods that may have been off-limits on other days. Psychologically speaking, Powell says including rewards is part of what makes some people so successful on the plan. “It helps them mentally and emotionally feel like they’re never deprived of foods they can’t have on a typical diet,” she says.

On this and other cycles, individuals will feel results in about a week, and start to see them in two weeks, says Powell. She recommends a 12-week cycle for the best physical and mental results, but says the principles of carb cycling can be followed for any phase of life, including weight loss, maintenance, fitness and performance.

The Fine Print

While no specific types of carbs are technically off-limits, the carbs should ideally come from unprocessed, whole foods such as rice, oats, potatoes, whole grains and breads, Lawson says.

Unlike their sugary counterparts, research suggests that healthy starches (or resistant starches) like grains, beans and legumes can help with weight loss by boosting metabolism. In one Australian study, rats that ate a diet low in resistant starch gained fat and lost muscle mass, while those that ate a diet higher in resistant starch preserved their muscle mass despite the higher carb intake. (Though, it’s not 100 percent clear whether the same holds true for humans.)

Another important thing to keep in mind is that carb cycling shouldn’t be a carb or junk food free-for-all, proponents advise. “But don’t fear bringing the occasional treat into the mix either, as long as is total carbohydrates are accounted for,” Lawson says.

The Takeaway

Like any dietary strategy, carb cycling isn’t for everyone. And with the most current research having been done on mice, it might be a while before carb cycling can be recommended as a science-backed weight loss technique. But for healthy individuals willing and able to adjust their carb consumption according to fairly regimented guidelines, some experts suggest carb cycling can lead to positive body composition changes while still letting you enjoy dessert and a glass of wine from time to time.

Comments:
Carb cycling mainly works by optimising insulin secretion - to produce it in abundance when you need it and minimise it when you don't. But to strip away fat there needs to be a calorie deficit it is not just moving carbs from 1 day to another. When weight training as you add carbs it creates powerful anabolic conditions to grow and repair muscle. (Muscles seem to recover faster when there are carbs available. Body builders were fast to pick up on the benefits because they needed to grow muscle and strip away fat.) Low carb days need to be lower calorie days where you are still exercising but don't necessarily need to weight train.

(There is always an equilibrium in the body depending on the nutrients it receives and the hormones that are present. Having the right hormone composition is a massive aid in losing weight and preserving muscle. For myself and people reading this blog it is very likely you have not been able to just rely on hormone composition - but have optimised it so much already. We all know people who can coast on their genetics to keep them slim but that is not us.)

Low insulin conditions can aid with growth hormone and testosterone release which helps to remove fat. Hard bursts of exercise are also very good for aiding the release of growth hormone, testosterone and triggers fat burning for much longer post workout.

If you want to carb cycle start by timing your carbs for after workouts and relying less on them when you are less active. The nature of the carbs is best for whole carbs so you get the benefits of the other macro and micronutrients as well. (Sugar by itself is very deficient in nutrients and requires other food to provide the assisting nutrients to metabolise it. So pure sugar is just a source of fuel without any other nutrients. Although sugar is a powerful activator of insulin, if you really must have it then a better time is after a hard work out rather then when you are not active (eg sitting at a desk and not needing a boost of insulin)).

Very low carb, low protein result in a state of ketosis but it is not ideal if you really like a wide range of carbs. Carb cycling can allow you to compromise between a large range and larger amount of carbs. This also allows for a larger range of recipes which can make it far more suitable as a longer term strategy to keep fat low. I prefer this to full ketosis.

Why spicy food is good for you

Not a fan of the hot stuff? It might be worth getting used to: A ton of new research says it’s good for your stomach—and may even ward off disease

By Celia Milne

It is a long-standing myth that spicy food exacerbates ulcers and other stomach ailments. Butresearch shows hot chili peppers actually protect the stomach lining and may prevent the gastric damage associated with anti-inflammatory painkillers. They are high in nutrients such as calciumplus vitamins A and C, and there’s some evidence that hot chilies can reduce cardiovascular disease risk, help prevent diabetes and boost metabolism. They may also have some ability to prevent cancer.

Just don’t go overboard: A Mexican study found people who ate the equivalent of nine to 25 jalapeños per day had a slightly raised risk of stomach cancer. (It shouldn’t be too tough for even hot-pepper lovers to stay under that limit!)

Toronto gastroenterologist Dr. Khursheed Jeejeebhoy sees plenty of patients in his office who avoid hot chilies unnecessarily. “Whenever people have stomach problems, they’ll say, ‘I completely avoid spicy foods in order to heal my stomach.’ There is no evidence they have to do that. Spices in moderation are to be enjoyed, and there is no evidence that spicy food is bad for you,” says Jeejeebhoy, who is an emeritus professor of medicine at the University of Toronto.

In fact, there is a lot of evidence that it’s very good for you. Recent research tells us that hot chili peppers are an up-and-coming health power. A laboratory study in the United Kingdom, for instance, found that capsaicin, which is responsible for the burning sensation chilies provide, can kill lung and pancreatic cancer cells without harming the surrounding cells. Researchers believe this may explain why people living in Mexico and India, who eat a spicy diet, tend to have lower rates of some cancers than those eating a bland Western diet. 

Two Australian studies provide more good news: One discovered that adding chilies to meals may protect against the buildup of cholesterol in the blood. Another found that regularly eating hot chilies reduces insulin requirements, which may have implications in the prevention and treatment of diabetes.

So what about their effects on the stomach? Hot chilies actually decrease the output of gastric acid, says a Hungarian study. They can also reduce the stomach bleeding associated with taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents such as Aspirin. A further bonus: A study in Singapore found that eating chilies daily reduced the risk of peptic ulcers by 53 percent. 

And that burning sensation you get from hot food? It’s the capsaicin stimulating your nerve endings. “It’s a bad feeling,” says Jeejeebhoy, “but there’s no evidence that it produces a cut or causes an ulceration or injury of any sort in the gastrointestinal tract.” The best remedy to the burning sensation is to build up a tolerance, he says.

Another huge fan of hot food is Dr. Susan Biali, a Vancouver general practitioner with a degree in dietetics. “Chilies add wonderful flavour and kick to foods, and have very few calories,” says Biali, who until recently split her time between Vancouver and Los Cabos, Mexico. She has been gradually adding more heat to her diet for years, and jokes that she can even out-chili her Mexican husband, who grew up on spicy food. “Chili is a guilt-free way to make food more flavourful, interesting and exciting.” 

Biali calls chilies a “no-lose food” because they boost metabolism, help burn fat and keep us feeling full longer. 
Susie Langley, a registered dietitian based in Toronto, loves to spice up meals with small amounts of hot chilies. She developed the following three recipes for Best Health readers, to help bring some healthy heat to your meals:

Sweet Necessity: The Extent and Perils of Sugar Addiction

By Cathy Cassata

Telling a sugar addict to stop eating sugar is like telling an alcoholic to stop drinking.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You’ve heard it before—sugar is bad for you. But, just how bad? According to Action on Sugar, a group of leading medical and nutrition experts, the sweet substance is bad enough that earlier this year, the group called for a 20-30% reduction in sugar added to packaged and processed foods over the next three to five years. Action on Sugar estimates that this change would result in a reduction of about 100 calories each person eats daily, and over time would reverse the obesity epidemic.

“Telling people to stop eating sugar is well-intended and might work for those who are not addicted to it,” says Kathleen DesMaisons, PhD, author of The Sugar Addict’s Total Recovery Program and Potatoes Not Prozac. “But it’s likely that many people who are obese or who have Diabetes Type 2 are sugar addicts. Telling them to stop eating sugar is like telling an alcoholic to stop drinking. There is much more to it than that.”

There is a lot of pain associated with this addiction. It’s real.

Nicole Avena, PhD, research neuroscientist and faculty member at the New York Obesity Research Center, agrees. “We’ve done lots of studies looking at what sugar can do to your brain, and we find that when some people eat too much sugar it can cause the release of the chemicals associated with pleasure and reward. Over time, their brains adapt to that and it down-regulates the receptors for these chemicals, so eventually they feel like they’re not getting enough pleasure out of the food they eat, and so they want to eat more and more of it,” she says.

Just like alcohol?

More and more research is showing the link between a dependence on sugar and addiction to other substances. A study that Avena helped conduct, published in 2007 in the Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, reported that in some circumstances, intermittent access to sugar can lead to behavior and neurochemical changes that resemble the effects of a substance of abuse. The study showed that rats with intermittent access to food and a sugar solution can show both a constellation of behaviors and parallel brain changes that are characteristic of rats that voluntarily self-administer addictive drugs.

A 2011 study of more than 500 people showed that those who had genetic changes in a hormone called ghrelin, which tells the brain you’re hungry, consumed more sugar (and alcohol) than those that had no gene variation. Researchers think that the genetic components that effects people’s ghrelin release may determine if they use sugar to enhance a neurological reward system.

In a 2012 paper in the journal Nature, researchers suggested that, like warnings on alcohol, limitations and warnings should be placed on products containing sugar. The paper included evidence that fructose and glucose in excess can have a toxic effect on the liver; the metabolism of ethanol - the alcohol contained in alcoholic beverages - had similarities to the metabolic pathways that fructose took. The authors also reported that sugar increased the risk for some of the same chronic conditions as alcohol does. “We need to do more studies to understand the overlap and comorbidity between substance abuse and food addiction. However, there is long-standing literature of becoming overweight after one quits having substance addiction. So people who get clean from drugs, smoking, and alcohol, gain weight. It seems they replace that urge with a food addiction,” says Avena.

DesMaisons says she noticed a clear connection between sugar and alcohol while working in a treatment center during the 1980s. “I worked with many alcoholics, and I’d ask them what they ate. Many said they ate lots of sugar and didn’t eat breakfast or regular meals throughout the day, so when asked to change their eating habits and improve their nutrition, I saw so many improvements,” she says.

After seeing how healthy nutrition helped many addicts, DesMaisons founded Radiant Recovery®, a free online community dedicated to healing unbalanced sugar sensitivity. Her work is based on the premise that some people are predisposed to addiction. “This group of people has a type of brain and body chemistry that makes them more vulnerable to addictive substances and behaviors, and they’ll be very drawn to sugar way before they discover alcohol because sugar creates the same biochemical response that alcohol does in the brain,” she says.

Your body and brain on sugar

Sugar is a simple carbohydrate that is found naturally in fruits, vegetables and dairy products, as well as added to many foods. All carbohydrates are converted into glucose during digestion, and glucose is the form of sugar that is used in the body for energy.

While natural sugars aren’t harmful to eat for healthy people, the World Health Organization recommends that “added sugar” make up no more than 10 percent of our daily intake. “Right now the average American is consuming much more than that - about 22 teaspoons of added sugar a day,” says Avena. “Sugar in and of itself isn’t bad, but we as a society have lost our ability to accurately control how much we’re consuming. Many of the foods we consume that we think are healthy, are actually packed with sugar. Things like pasta sauce, BBQ sauce, and sausage, you don’t necessarily associate with sugar, but often contain added sugar.”

So what’s the real deal with sugar when it enters your body? Cameron Wells, MPH, RD, dietitian at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, says when you eat sugar it immediately turns into glucose, gets into your blood stream and triggers the release of insulin.

“It’s then pulled into all your muscles and cells so the sugar can be used for energy. When you get too much sugar, you’re going to have that real intense spike in blood sugar level, which is associated with that addictive cycle because you have that sugar high and a lot energy for a while and then you quickly crash once that insulin kicks in and your blood sugar level comes back down. This is when people tend to go back for more so they can get that rush of energy again,” Wells explains.

Your brain is instantly affected too. “When sugar touches your tongue, you trigger the release of opioids in your brain. These opioids are like natural pain killers or endorphins. They trigger the release of dopamine, the chemical that’s responsible for feelings of pleasure,” explains Wells. “Your body typically remembers that experience so when you eat that sugary food again, you have that fond memory and are more apt to go back for more. Alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana all play on the same pleasure center of the brain too.”

Who’s at risk for sugar addiction?

One theory that exists is that anyone can become dependent on sugar based on the notion that the more sugar you eat, the more you alter the dopamine receptors in the brain, leading to the desire to want more sugar. While this may need further research, DesMaisons says that research has shown that genetically certain people have lower levels of beta endorphin and this makes them more vulnerable to alcoholism. “People with lower levels of beta endorphin get a more intense reaction when they consume sugar and alcohol because they have more receptors opened up, so they get a bigger hit, and a bigger withdrawal when all the extra receptors empty out,” she says.

DesMaisons adds that people who are not predisposed to addiction can resist sugar more easily. "They can eat half a cookie, leave it on the counter, and walk away. But people who are vulnerable to the addictive qualities of sugar will eat the sugar and want more. Plus, they can’t imagine a life without sweet stuff. The difference between a sweet tooth and sugar addict is that the sweet tooth can adjust her sugar intake when faced with health issues.”

While Avena agrees that certain people are more prone to develop addiction, she says that research indicates people who are diagnosed with binge eating disorder have the highest comorbidity of also having food addiction. “Up to 50 percent of people who have binge eating disorder will meet the criteria for having a food addiction as well. But research also shows that food addiction is among people who are obese, who have had bariatric surgery, and of people who are normal weight, so it seems it can be seen across all types of people,” she adds.

Ways to cut sugar out

To curb your sugar cravings, DesMaisons and Wells say first start by eating a nutritious breakfast. “I have many people tell me that they’re miserable with their sugar intake, but they’re having a cappuccino for breakfast. Starting the day off with a sugar-loaded drink isn’t the way to go,” DesMaisons says. “Once you have eating breakfast down, then move on to eating lunch and dinner daily too. Seems simple, but many people with an addictive nature don’t eat regular meals throughout the day. Giving your brain the nutrients it needs to heal itself is the most important step to recovery.”

Fill up on fiber too, suggest Wells and Avena, because it helps to stabilize your blood sugar. Healthy foods that contain fiber include fruits, vegetables, beans, and legumes.

DesMaisons says apples and bananas are great go-to fruits. “When people are in early recovery, I suggest that they have 3 bananas a day because bananas are high in fruit sugar and help your brain calm down yet they don’t give you a huge spike like candy would,” DesMaisons says. She also suggests eating a small potato before bed. “Potatoes raise the level of serotonin in your brain, which makes you sleep better. If you increase serotonin in your brain you’re also less depressed and able to resist temptations. In fact, alcoholics have lower levels of serotonin in their brains, which is why it’s hard for them to say no.”

Sticking to low glycemic index (GI) foods is a great way to keep blood sugar levels under control, notes Wells. “Look up the foods so you can see their values based on the GI number. While there are rules of thumb, foods are broken down differently. What you may think is a low GI food, may be high. For instance, white and wheat breads have similar GIs, but people don’t generally think that since we’ve been ingrained to think that wheat is healthier. In terms of bread, pumpernickel is typically your best choice. Also, white and wheat pasta have similar GI values and they’re both lower than bread,” she says. While fruit is a healthy choice, Wells says pineapple and watermelon are higher on the GI index.

In her book, Why Diets Fail, Avena suggests that people identify why they consume sugary foods and figure out what healthier alternatives they can replace them with. “For instance, if you’re a big soda drinker, ask yourself what is it about the soda you like? If you like drinking something bubbling, maybe switch to seltzer water. If it’s the caffeine, maybe switch to black coffee. And if it is just the sweet taste, eat fruit every time the craving arises,” she notes.

Not a laughing matter

While it may seem far-fetched to compare over-eating sugar to problem drinking or drug use, DesMaisons says we should take note. “People who laugh off sugar addiction do so because they’re not addicted,” she says. “I work with people all over the world who are addicted to sugar and don’t know what to do about it. There is a lot of pain associated with this addiction. It’s real.”

Avena says the more research that’s done, the more history may repeat itself. “If you look back to the 1960s, the same sentiments were thought about tobacco use. People didn’t think tobacco was addictive or bad for you, and there weren’t regulations on its use. Now, we know tobacco is clearly addictive and can cause cancer, and we have regulations related to its use,” she says. “We need to do more research on sugar to truly characterize it and understand it so we can address it as a society. But the research that already exists certainly leans toward limiting sugar as much as possible.”

That’s easy enough to digest.

10 Protein-Packed Plants

by ALISA RUTHERFORD-FORTUNATI

The continuing debate over how much protein the average person needs* has done little to change our hunger for it. And who can blame us? Protein is one of the basic building blocks of life.

When most people think about protein, images of cheese, eggs and a leg of lamb pop into their head. Did you know though that every – yes, every – whole food contains protein? From your morning banana to your evening salad, finding plants packed with protein is easy to do. And not only is it easy to do, it’s easy for your body to use.

Plant-based foods are practically free from cholesterol, tend to be high in fiber, and are often alkalizing to the body. All animal products, on the other hand, are devoid of fiber, and are acidifying to the body, which causes calcium to be leached from your bones, as well as decreasing oxygen levels in the blood, and negatively impacting the digestive/lymphatic system.

You may have heard the ongoing debate about “complete” or “incomplete” protein and “food combining”, but be wary; these topics are steeped in misinformation and myth. Here’s what I’ve discovered thus far:

The term “complete protein” refers to foods that have all nine essential amino acids present in the correct proportion for our bodies to build protein with. The term “incomplete protein” refers to foods which have all the essential amino acids, but are simply low in one or more of them. This is called the “limiting amino acid”. While it’s true that most whole plant foods have one or more limiting amino acids and are thus “incomplete”, this shouldn’t send you running for a steak. Our bodies are brilliant, and every food that goes into your system must be broken apart and its nutrients absorbed. During the digestion process, amino acid chains from all sources are broken down and made ready for our bodies to use. If you’re eating a good mix of fruits, veggies, grains and legumes, then your body simply collects what it needs from the “amino soup” that your digestion system has absorbed. There are a growing number of vegan bodybuilders, ultra marathon runners and award-winning athletes out there to prove that meeting your protein needs on a plant-based diet is simple and successful.

Since every whole food has protein in it, you have literally millions of great options to choose from when it comes to creating a balanced diet with the right percentage of protein for your body*. I’ve selected ten nutritious plants to get you started, for both their protein content and other health benefits. You may be surprised at some of the veggies, nuts and grains that made it onto my list.

Eggs are the Perfect Natural Whole Food and are Packed with Nutrients.

iloveeggs

Whole foods are foods that are closest to their natural state, including unprocessed fruit, vegetables, whole grains, eggs, whole fish skinless poultry and lean red meat. Research shows that dietary patterns that include more whole foods results in higher nutrient intake and an increased quantity of antioxidants. 

What nutrients are in eggs?

Eggs have the highest nutritional quality protein of all food sources

Protein is a source of energy but its main role in the body is growth and repair. It helps in the formation of muscles, hair, nails, skin and organs, such as the heart, kidneys and liver. The protein found in eggs is considered to be of the highest quality, providing the right amount and balance of amino acids to match human requirements.  

Eggs contain over 11 essential vitamins and minerals including:

Selenium – antioxidant which protects our body and immune system
Folate  – for growth and maintenance of healthy cells
Biotin – helps cell metabolism and the utilisation of fats, proteins and carbohydrates
Calcium – for building and maintain bones and teeth
Cephalin – a phosphorus-containing lipid found in tissues
Lecithin – contains acetylcholine which has been proven to help brain function
Pantothenic acid (Vitamin B5 ) – releases energy from our food for our body to use
Vitamin B12 – for brain and nervous system functions and blood formation
Vitamin A  – for growth and eye health
Iodine – to ensure proper function of our thyroid gland
Vitamin E – antioxidant to protect our bodies against disease
Phosphorous – helps build strong bones and teeth
Iron – to produce haemoglobin which carries oxygen around our bodies
Thiamine – to turn carbohydrates into energy our body can use
Zinc – helps in growth, wound healing, blood formation and maintenance of tissues
Vitamin D – important in bone health

For more information visit the New Zealand Nutrition Foundation

What is the nutrient content of raw New Zealand hen eggs ?

Nutrient	Two medium eggs (98g)	% Recommended Daily Intake
Energy (kJ)	628	6%
Protein (g)	11.8	18%
Fat (g)	11.4	17%
Saturated fat (g)	3.4
Monounsaturated fat (g)	4.4
Polyunsaturated fat (g)	1.2
Cholesterol (mg)	404
Sodium (mg)	166
Iron (mg)	2.8	35%
Selenium (ug)	15.8	23%
Zinc (mg)	1.2	8.5%
Vitamin B12 (ug)	1.6	67%
Folate (ug)	46	11%
Vitamin A (ug) (Retinol)	130	14%

Source: The Concise New Zealand Food Composition Tables. 7th edition. RDI based on male 31-50yr, 1.9m, 80kg, 10,400kJ/day

Why exercise doesn't always help you lose weight

by Nicola Garrett

We all know exercise helps you lose weight. Right? So why do some of us fail to shed centimetres even though we do plenty of exercise?

Jeff and Liz are like many couples in their early 40s – they love good food, drink a little too much wine and don't do enough exercise.

Unfortunately their lifestyle started taking its toll on their waistlines. So last year they decided to do something about it together and embarked on a new regime of healthy eating, drinking less, and exercising regularly.

Three months later Jeff had lost four kilos, whereas Liz's weight was the same. It's an all too familiar story yet it's one we don't really know the answer to.

Why is it that some people can slog their hearts out at the gym several days a week to discover their scales are telling them the same story?

Weight loss through exercise works 'in theory'

Exercise can be an effective way to lose weight, says Dr Nathan Johnson, an exercise physiologist based at the University of Sydney.

This has been illustrated by plenty of scientific studies that placed people on exercise programs and calculated, based on the energy cost of the exercise, how much weight they should lose. More often than not, study participants lost weight as predicted.

"On the whole people do lose weight when they stick to an exercise plan and nothing else changes," says Johnson.

However, in the real world what tends to happen is people who exercise either don't lose weight, or lose a small amount that they then put back on over time.

A study by an US group of researchers is a good illustration of what typically happens with exercise, says Johnson.

Previously sedentary overweight and obese postmenopausal women were put into either a non-exercise control group or one of three exercise groups with an exercise energy expenditure of 4, 8, or 12 kcal/kg/week (KKW).

At the end of the six-month study the researchers observed no difference in actual and predicted weight loss between the 4 and 8 KKW exercise groups. The 12 KKW group, who exercised for 194 minutes a week, produced only about half of the predicted weight loss.

"People tend to go well for a few weeks and lose the amount of weight you'd expect but then things tend to go the wrong way after that…they begin to not lose as much weight as you'd expect in the end," says Johnson.

"The authors speculate that people are behaviourally compensating by either changing their diet or their physical activity."

Cancelling out your hard work

Johnson says many of us are either consciously or subconsciously 'self-sabotaging' in some way.

For instance, you may be less physically active overall throughout your day because you are exercising. This means you're unwittingly cancelling out the benefits of the exercise you've been doing.

"If I start a regular exercise program I may find myself sitting down more or taking the less active option [in other activities]," says Johnson.

"The other thing is people may change their dietary behaviour whether that means eating more, or eating more energy dense foods."

Most of us can identify with this feeling of having 'earned' a treat after a big work out session.

"The actual medicine itself, if we think of exercise as a medicine actually works, …but it's the implementation of it that tends to fall short," he says.

Diet damage is hard to undo

The other issue is that people can do a lot of harm through their diet that is almost impossible to make up through exercise, says Johnson.

"Making a bad eating decision can require a lot of exercise to expend the equivalent amount of energy," he says.

For example, you need to do about 45 to 60 minutes of exercise to offset the kilojoules contained in a burger from a popular fast food joint.

"When you combine the typical choices people make throughout the day, like a snack in the morning, a burger for lunch, we often find that we just can't undo the bad work that's been done."

And the truth is, most of us are largely unaware of how much energy is in the food that we're putting into our bodies, particularly when it comes to sugary or fatty foods.

Putting calories into context

Researchers from Texas found that when they gave people menus that illustrated how much exercise was needed to burn off the calories for each item of food, they opted for healthier choices.

The study of 300 men and women aged 30 and under were divided into three groups. One group received a regular menu, the second group received the same menu with the calorie content for each item, and the third group had a menu that listed calories as well as how many minutes of brisk walking it would take to burn those calories.

The third group ordered and consumed fewer calories compared to the other groups.

The findings showed that putting calories into context might go some way to changing the eating habits of adults, the study authors said.

Right type of exercise

Sometimes there's also a big difference between what people think is exercise, and what exercise actually is, says Johnson.

"People misunderstand what we talk about as exercise and think that just getting up from their chair or having a stroll is adequate."

"There's a perception that they've done some exercise so that offsets all ills."

He says many of us will take the easy route when it comes to exercise.

"Adults inherently tend to select the lazier option of things and this tends to come as self-supporting advice."

"If you stick to that then you're suddenly not doing the recommended regular amount of exercise to keep that energy input energy output balance in check."

Fat burning exercise

When we move our bodies we need energy to be used up at a higher rate to burn fat. The key is to expend as much energy as you can, says Johnson.

He recommends aerobic type activity involving the use of large muscles if you want to lose weight. This is because the more muscles you use, the more energy you need to use to support the activity.

This can include activities like brisk walking, running, cycling, kayaking, swimming as well as many team sports.

It's best to try and accumulate activity for prolonged periods of at least 30 minutes but the more the better, advises Johnson.

Some people respond better

It's also true that some people respond to exercise better than others, but it depends on what outcome you are measuring, says Johnson. For instance, if we're talking about fitness, measured as aerobic capacity, part of that is genetically determined.

"We don't quite have a handle on which genes cause it, but there is definitely evidence that some people get more benefit in terms of fitness from exercise programmes than others".

However, when it comes to weight loss from exercise, having a genetically higher chance of being overweight or obese doesn't mean that you won't respond to exercise as well as anyone else does.

"While there is some evidence of a genetic component to being overweight or obese, the important thing is that there's absolutely no evidence that it changes how people respond to an exercise program."

Don't worry about the scales

According to Johnson, it's actually not weight per se that's the problem, it's fat and in particular, where it is stored.

Most rugby league or union players are overweight in terms of body mass index because they have a lot of muscle. Pear-shaped women typically store excess fat around their hips and bottoms. This is known not to be detrimental to their health, explains Johnson.

Instead it's the fat stored around the abdomen and organs that we should be worried about.

For example, fat stored in the liver, even in small amounts, can have significant consequences on health and the risk of disease, says Johnson.

But the great news is that exercise can reduce these fats, whether it's visceral fat that wraps around organs or whether it's fat in the organ itself – for instance fat in the liver, heart or pancreas.

"It appears these fats can actually be reduced or even got rid of in some of these organs even without losing weight and that's a really important message," he says.

"Don't worry about what's on the scales, worry about doing exercise because we know, aside from all of its benefits, it helps reduce fat from these areas".

Benefits beyond weight loss

It's also important to remember there are a host of benefits to exercise beyond weight loss, says Johnson.

Most people looking to lose weight are at high risk of diseases like heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Research shows that exercise can reduce these risks.

"People at risk of diabetes can halve their chances of the disease by doing moderate amounts of exercise," says Johnson.

Exercise has also been shown to help improve heart function and blood pressure.

The right type of exercise can also reduce depression and anxiety, improve bone health, and reduce risk of falls in old people, he adds.

"The message should move beyond weight loss and be more about actually doing sustainable exercise and doing it regularly for all these types of benefits."

"Otherwise people just end up in perpetual failure… of trying new diets and new fad exercise regimes."

"What we're really about is trying to encourage people to adopt healthy eating and physical activity as part of every day life."

13 Foods That Are Saltier Than You Realize

Just because you can't taste it doesn't mean belly-bloating sodium isn't there. Here's how to spot the salt that's hiding in your diet.

by Jessica Girdwain

Surprisingly salty foods

You already know snack foods like chips, crackers, and pretzels pack a lot of salt. But even if you don't eat those, you may be on a high-sodium diet without realizing it. Many foods you wouldn't expect are swimming in salt, including bagels, cereals, and even cottage cheese, says LeeAnn Smith Weintraub, MPH, RD, a nutrition consultant in Culver City, Calif. Most people should stick to less than 2,300 mg of sodium per day (those with high blood pressure should limit it 1,500 mg). Read on for 13 sneaky sources of salt to watch for.

Sauces

It's no surprise that marinades and salad dressings contain salt, since they taste salty. But it may shock you just how much they have. A two-tablespoon serving of salad dressing or barbecue sauce may pack 300 mg of sodium (10 to 15% of your day's quota)—and you often use two servings or more on your food. Same with marinades, which can pack nearly a fifth of your limit in just one tablespoon, which isn't even enough to cover one chicken breast. Control sodium by making these marinade recipes and salad dressing recipes at home.

Cottage cheese

Cottage cheese is a good source of calcium and protein. Low-fat cottage cheese packs a whopping 28 grams of protein for only 160 calories. The catch: a one-cup serving can contain almost 1,000 mg of sodium—about 40% of what you're supposed to have in an entire day. Look for no-salt-added cottage cheese. Greek yogurt, which contains just 60 mg of sodium per serving, is a worthy high-protein substitute.

Cereal

Cereal can be healthy way to start your day—or a salty one. Many cereals have 180 to 300 mg of sodium per serving—up to 12% of what you should consume in a whole day—and that's if you only pour one serving in your bowl. Better bet: stick with plain oatmeal topped with fruit, or one of these 20 super-healthy breakfast foods.

Bagels

Bread is a major source of salt in the American diet, according to the CDC. And bagels are just like supersized servings of bread, which is why one bagel can contain 460 mg of sodium, or 19% of what you should get daily. That's for a plain bagel—flavors like asiago cheese or everything add even more, and so does adding a smear of cream cheese (100 mg for two tablespoons). When struck with a bagel craving, opt for a bagel thin to cut sodium by 50%.

Baked goods

You know that packaged cakes and doughnuts are packed with sugar and carbs, but they're also salty. One Entenmann's crumb doughnut, for example, supplies you with over 200 mg of sodium (about 10% of your day's limit). Packaged baked goods rely on sodium as a preservative in addition to any salt used during baking. These treats already have a lot of negative things going for them (lots of calories, fat, and sometimes trans fat), so try one of these healthier cookie recipes at home.

Soup

A bowl of hot soup makes a filling, healthy lunch. What's shocking is just how much salt most soups contain, especially the canned soups on supermarket shelves. Though a bowl might be less than 300 calories, a serving can contain half of your sodium limit for the day.

When it comes to canned soup, buy low-salt versions whenever possible. After years of eating super-salty soup, you may think it tastes bland, warns Weintraub. Dress it up with freshly cracked pepper, fresh herbs, or a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. You can also add a few shakes of salt yourself—you'll never add more than food companies would. Or you can cook up one of these healthy soup recipes.

"Reduced-sodium" foods

When you see "reduced sodium" on a food label, you may think you're being served up a lot less salt. However, this FDA-regulated term means that a food has only 25% less sodium than the original product. So for a frozen meal that contains 1,000 mg of sodium, the reduced-sodium version would have 750 mg—still high. Reduced-sodium options can be a smart choice if you're slowly trying to cut back on salt, but if you're watching your sodium closely, better labels to look for are "low sodium" (with 140 mg of sodium or less per serving) and "very low sodium" (35 mg of sodium or less).

Veggie burgers
Some soy and veggie burgers are made with a long list of highly processed ingredients and use salt to enhance the flavor. Patties can pack 400 to 500 mg, and that's before the bun, condiments, and cheese.

Hot chocolate

The warming drink is a great way to get your chocolate fix for few calories—there are just 80 to 100 in a packet of mix. But one serving can also contain 7% of your recommended daily intake of sodium. If you're on a reduced-sodium diet for any reason, then one packet will be over 10% of your quota. Try this lower-sodium recipe for Mexican Hot Chocolate.

Pancakes

You want a sweet brunch, so what's 2,000 mg of sodium doing in your stack of chocolate chip pancakes? Making pancakes at home is a better option than ordering them at a diner, but ready-made mixes (with 400 mg of sodium per serving) and pourable mixes (700 mg for three pancakes) can still serve up a lot of salt.

Frozen veggies in sauce

Per cup, pre-sauced frozen vegetable mixes can add nearly 500 mg of sodium to your meal, particularly if you choose cheesy sauces. Skip these and go for plain frozen vegetables, like bags of peas, onions, corn, and spinach. Frozen veggies are just as healthy as fresh, and often more so. Freezing produce shortly after harvest preserves nutrients, whereas fresh produce often loses some nutrients during shipping and storage.

Sandwiches

After counting sodium in bread, deli meat, cheese, and pickles, an innocent-sounding turkey sub sandwich adds up to about 900 mg of sodium. Make a sammie at home to save salt, suggests Weintraub. Use lower-sodium options like pita bread, whole grain mustard instead of pickles, fresh veggies, Swiss cheese (it contains a fraction of the sodium of provolone), and low-sodium deli turkey or—better yet—pieces of freshly carved turkey.

Chicken breasts

Raw chicken breasts harbor a secret: they're often injected with a high-sodium flavoring solution to perk up the taste. To avoid it, buy chicken with the words "non-enhanced" on the label, avoid brands that list salt on the ingredients label, or go for an organic variety. Weintraub likes a brand called Smart Chicken.