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Lockdown weight gain has become one of the themes of this COVID pandemic. While many have gained weight over this time, lots of people have used the time to get into ‘the zone’, change their eating habits, and as a result, are in the best shape they’ve been in for many years – just check out some of the amazing success stories!
Lots of people started the new year with a new diet but, unfortunately, most will have gradually slipped back into their old habits. We know that many people choose a new year’s diet on the advice of a friend or after doing some research on the internet. Unfortunately, the largest review studies of popular diets show that they don’t actually result in that much weight loss. Also, of the few diet studies lasting a year or more, most show that people start gaining most or all of the weight back.
If you can relate to that, don’t despair, you’re not alone, and you can still turn the tide and come out of lockdown at your best. Think of the start of February as New Year – take 2!
Here are some tips for getting in the zone this month:
Talk with Steve about your goals
Support with any goal is key to its success. If you’ve set yourself a weight loss goal, why not use Steve to help you smash it? Don’t hesitate to reach out for a no-obligation chat to find out more.
Plan!
Having a plan always helps you stay focussed and not lose sight of that end goal. Being on Plan with The 1:1 Diet requires minimal prep work and Steve can do this for you, so it takes the time and stress out of dieting. Of course, the key to our diet’s success is the ease and convenience of our products, and the expertise and support offered by Steve. I work with my dieters to find out what will work best for that person, because I know that no two dieters are the same. So I’ll help you set a goal and put the timelines for success in place using the 1:! Diet's research proven plans.
Remember why you’ve set that weight loss goal.
Whether that’s for a positive mindset, or for your health and future, never forget that reason. Write it down. Steve will help keep you on track from day one.
Research has shown now that you’re more likely to catch COVID and much more likely to have severe COVID symptoms if you are overweight. Losing weight improves immunity, and nutritionally complete diets (like The 1:1 Diet) have been specifically studied for this effect.
We also know that diabetes is more common in obesity and has similar negative consequences when it comes to the disease. Fortunately, this is another area in which our diet could help. Over the past five years, four studies looking at the products we make and based upon our programme, have shown outcomes that have changed the way health professionals think about low-calorie diets and reversing type-2 diabetes. See more on the research.
The pandemic has forced many people to rethink how they lead their lives. Research by Cambridge Weight Plan has found that more than two thirds of the public (68 percent) will be switching up their diet in 2021. Knowing how to maximise the health benefits of your dietary decisions can be challenging, however.
In-company nutritionist Mark Gilbert of The 1:1 Diet outlines the four most important dietary decisions for longevity.
Calorie restriction
Gilbert explains: “Caloric restriction is the most solidly researched method to suggest increased longevity. It has been shown to reduce cancer, heart disease and other metabolic diseases responsible for most preventable deaths."
Type-2 diabetes is "virtually absent" in those who restrict calories and follow a low-calorie diet such as the 1:1 Diet. In fact, the 1:1 Diet has been shown to reverse diabetes in those who undertake it, as long it is sufficiently nutritious, Gilbert says.
The Cambridge 1:1 diet is a VLCD (Very low-calorie diet) meal replacement diet in which 415 to 1500 calories are consumed daily through a combination of meal replacement bars, smoothies, shakes, hot meals, porridges and soups.
Extensive evidence points to the benefits of following a low-calorie diet. One study published in Cell Metabolism journal this month concluded that cutting calorie intake by 15 percent over two years can slow ageing and protect against diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s.
Top up vitamin D
Vitamin D, otherwise known as the sunshine vitamin, is obtained through direct exposure to sun, although supplements are usually required to top up the vitamin in winter time. "Vitamin D is intimately involved in immunity, protecting us particularly by helping our T cell immune response," Gilbert explains. Studies have shown that vitamin D levels in the body are inversely related to the risk of death.
According to a large review study, low vitamin D levels have been linked to all-cause, cardiovascular, cancer and infectious-related mortality.
Increase berry intake
Gilbert explains: “Berries have a number of health advantages and have been shown to improve heart health, reduce incidence and risk of cancer and diabetes, and to reduce blood pressure. According to Gilbert, adding berries to a sugary meal can slow and reduce the appearance of blood sugar (glucose) in your blood. "In turn this assists blood flow by helping your blood vessels dilate but also reduce the 'stickiness' of your blood, preventing inflammation and build-up of cholesterol," he says. Cholesterol is a waxy substance that raises your risk of heart disease.
Test-tube and human studies suggest that they berries protect your cells from high blood sugar levels, help increase insulin sensitivity, and reduce blood sugar and insulin response to high-carb meals.
Drink green tea
"Those who drink green tea seem to be protected from the dreaded ’all-cause mortality‘ (death from any cause), even when researchers control for other behaviours," explains Gilbert. This should raise few eyebrows. As Gilbert points out, green tea consumption protects DNA, helps with blood sugar control and may help prevent diabetes, decreases blood pressure and reduces arterial plaque. According to a review of seven studies with a total of 286,701 individuals, tea drinkers had an 18 percent lower risk of diabetes.