Q: I just wanted to let you know that I have been following your Fat Around The Middle plan and have already lost weight and inches off my belly.  I am 41 years old and have had an early menopause at the age of 29 and was feeling large and uncomfortable at 11 stone.

But I can’t seem to shift any more weight and have been stuck at 10 stone for some weeks now.  I’m not doing anything differently and haven’t had any sneaky drinks or food that I shouldn’t have.

I know your book recommends ditching the scales but I can’t help having a weekly weigh-in session as it does encourage me to see those pounds going down!

 

A: You are now at the point where it is important to know what that 10 stone is made up from

i.e. what percentage is fat.  If you are 10 stone and your percentage of body fat is within the normal range then that is an acceptable weight for you.  But if you are 10 stone and your body fat is too high then you need to lose some more fat (this is the difference between having fat to lose rather than just weight to lose). 

 

To make fat loss faster, increase the amount of weight training rather than aerobic exercise.  You will then put on more muscle, which is metabolically active, which burns fat faster.  But muscle weighs more than fat, so when you get on the scales you could still weigh 10 stone but you have lost fat.  Also muscle takes up less room than fat so although you might weigh the same you would look thinner and your clothes would fit better.

 

You can buy scales, which also measure body fat, and they just look like a pair of bathroom scales.  It is really important to think in terms of losing fat rather than just losing weight.

Most of us know about the importance of eating a healthy breakfast for weight management but now scientists have proved that not only is breakfast important for those who want to lose weight, the bigger the breakfast the better.

Researchers from the Hospital de Clinicas in Caracus, Venezuela, looked at how breakfasting habits affected the weight of almost 100 young, obese women. They found that those who ate around half of their daily calories first thing lose more weight in the long term than those who start the day with a small breakfast. And they are less likely to pile the pounds back on again. It is thought that eating a meal packed with healthy protein and whole grains helps cut cravings for sweet and starchy foods later in the day as well as boosting metabolism, or fat burning.

 

This study isn’t the first to make a link between a healthy, hearty breakfast and weight loss. Earlier this year a study of thousands of British women and men found that those who ate the biggest breakfast put on the least amount of weight over a five year period. Researchers concluded that skipping breakfast starves the body of nutrients and prompts it to store more of lunch and dinner as fat, whereas consuming more food at breakfast gives the body time to digest food more efficiently.

Three new studies have suggested that exposure early in life to ‘gender bending’ chemicals used in plastics, baby bottles, non stick pans and water pipes can increase the risk of obesity in adult hood. Experts believe that the chemicals can alter the genes and hormones involved in maintaining a healthy weight and unborn babies and young children are believed to be particularly at risk with just one dose potentially altering metabolism for life. The chemicals include bisphenol A which is found in plastic baby bottles, water bottles and tin cans which has already been linked to an increased risk of early puberty, breast cancer and infertility.

The first study from Tufts University in Massachusetts tracked the health of mice whose mothers had been exposed to bisphenol A while pregnant and nursing. They found that the babies put on more weight than other mice despite eating the same amount of food and doing the same amount of exercise.

 

The second study carried out by US government scientists looked at the effects of PFOA or perfluorooctanole acid, a chemical found in many everyday products such as non stick pans and pizza boxes. They found that mice exposed to this chemical in the womb were more likely to become overweight as adults. The final study from the University of California found that tributylin, a chemical found in PVC water pipes also increased the likelihood of obesity in adult hood.

 

This research could explain why some people spend their lives battling weight gain.  But don’t use this as an excuse not to try to lose weight or to help your child lose weight. Sticking to a healthy diet and regular exercise routine can help anyone stay in shape, even if you were exposed to gender bending chemicals early in life.