Is Weight Gain Inevitable With Age?

Clients often as me, and I guess they’re entitled, if I’ve ever been heavy. This question makes me uncomfortable and I’ll often mention the fact that I’m a runner or that like many women I had to loose weight after my pregnancies. The truth is that, as an adult, my weight has been fairly stable. While many sane habits contribute to this, there’s also an element of fear. You see, for almost 15 years I’ve been counseling perimenopausal and menopausal women. I’ve witnessed their frustration when it comes to weight loss and so in anticipation of what may be many years away for me, I’m doing what I can now.

I was reminded of this when I had lunch on Friday with my beautiful literary agent (the book concept is strong but the feedback is I need to be funnier and include more anecdotes, ok ok). Over our avocado salads, she joked about “the forty thing” being true. I noted I haven’t hit “the forty thing” but that even your 30’s are different than your 20’s in terms of metabolism. As we commiserated, we both acknowledged that our “good” mode now needed more stringency. I said “it used to be I could just remove the extras and my weight would drop those couple of pounds before a vacation or event.” To which she added, “now it has to be a total cleanse.”

Most people operate with a weight range. The have their ideal weight, then a range above this where they are “fine” and an upper limit. As years go by, the “upper limit” number can become the good number. This is the weight creep that’s insidious but real.  Our muscle cells drive our metabolism. Age and a decrease in estrogen, testosterone and other hormones contribute to the loss of muscle cells. Muscle cells are where calories are burned. So if you eat the same amount over the years and less is burned or it’s burned less efficiently…you see where this is headed. Another proposed mechanism is that our bodies are more likely to be in an inflammatory state as we age even in the absence of a threat (virus, bacteria). This inflammation can damage cells in joints and muscles or wherever the inflammation occurred. And sorry guys, this applies to you as well.

Before you throw your hands in the air and prepare for the inevitable pudge, know that you are not powerless. One tool is exercise as a way to preserve and deposit muscle.  The good news is that exercise can help prevent age-related weight gain. The bad news? You have to do more with each decade. A study of male runners gave the suggestion that “runners who average 10 miles per week at age 30 should increase their weekly running distance to 24 miles by age 40 if they plan to still fit into the tuxedo they bought a decade earlier." Yes, I realize that 24 is more than double 10, it’s a good thing I’m marathon training.  I also advise my younger clients that they don’t want to exercise excessively in their 20’s as they will need to increase it as they age.

Another tool is anti-inflammatory foods. Chia seed, wild fish, hemp protein, ginger and turmeric are some of my favorites. Incorporate these in your daily diet. As for that diet, if you feel as though you’re doing what you used to do and not getting results, there’s a reason. You need to “do” things differently. The weight loss plan that worked in college will not work at 35. If this concept is a little scary, welcome to my world.
Have you noticed it's harder to lose or maintain your weight with age? Do you do things differently? 
Do you find this depressing?

Beating PMS Eating (Sorry Guys)

New female clients often ask “how much weight should I expect to lose?” My conservative estimate is one to two pounds a week or three to six pounds a month. Huh (I can see them thinking), "shouldn’t that be four to eight pounds if you’re losing one to two a week"? Yes, but one week is PMS so we can’t count on that one. If you’re female, chances are to some degree you’re familiar with at least a few of the 150 (yes that’s right) possible PMS symptoms. And if you’re male, though not from first hand experience, you’re probably familiar with some of those symptoms as well.  I’ve talked bloating before but today I’m more interested in the effect PMS can have on appetite and eating and what can be done about this.

First, a biology lesson. The last part of the menstrual cycle is called the luteal phase. It is in this phase that the ovaries decrease estrogen production  and start pumping up progesterone production. These two hormones affect various brain chemicals called neurotransmitters and this is what likely leads to mood alternation and PMS symptoms.  Appetite is lowest before ovulation (mid cycle) and highest in this luteal phase. Oftentimes, women reporting appetite changes also experience mood effects. Both symptoms seem tied to serotonin. We don’t all necessarily increase consumption of the same types of foods but low serotonin activity increases vulnerability to overconsumption as serotonin curbs appetite. One study found that caloric intake increased 20% and another showed a 1000-calorie increase in the four days leading up to menstruation. To add insult to overeating, the muscles in the bowels can relax and be less effective moving food through which explains why many women are constipated before menstruation. Lovely.

This can start to seem like a losing hormonal battle but I don’t think that’s the case.  First, just knowing that the menstrual munchies aren’t all in your head should be somewhat comforting. Second, if you know hurricane PMS is headed your way you can start to take precautions such as having the right foods in the house and perhaps taking certain supplements.

A lot of the dietary advice for PMS has to do with fluid retention. While dandelion greens, asparagus, apple cider vinegar are all “delicious debloaters” they don’t address PMS cravings and appetite surges. A few foods that show promise are pineapple, full fat dairy products and sweet potatoes. My PMS eating tips are as follows:

• Consider Carbs (right ones at right time)- in one study a carbohydrate-based supplement worked as well as medication in reducing PMS symptoms.  Protein actually hampers serotonin production. Meals should be veggie heavy and snacks mainly carbohydrates. Eat two small carbohydrate-based snacks per day such as popcorn, a small sweet potato, a cup of bean soup,  oatmeal, Glow cookies or Purely Elizabeth granola or Food Should Taste Good Chips. For chocolate cravings try The Real Bar.


• Exercise, no excuses- I have clients who say “I was feeling so poorly I skipped my workout”. Bad idea. Exercise five out of seven days the week leading up to your period preferably outside. Exposure to sunlight increases serotonin production.


• Friendly Fats- chia seed, walnuts, hemp and small servings of fish have positive mood effects for PMS. They are also natural anti-inflammatories and important for good bowel function.


• Do Dairy- Siggis yogurt and cheddar cheese (naturally lactose free). Calcium and vitamin-D rich foods decrease PMS symptoms.


• Don't Keep it Simple- simple carbohydrates in sugary snacks and white flour can actually increase water retention, irritability, appetite and other PMS symptoms.


• Ditch the Drinks- if there’s one time a month to skip the drinks it’s 3-4 days pre period.

When it comes to supplements there are many suggested but only a few that are well researched. If you experiment I would give supplements two full cycles to see a difference:

Vitex- also known as Chastetree Berry has some research behind it. It is known to balance hormone levels and improve menstrual irregularities.

Evening Primrose Oil- a source of GLA, an anti inflammatory omega-6 fatty acid. In several studies it was found to be helpful.

Rhodiola- helpful for mood, research behind it extremely safe.

B6 or B-complex with 50mg of B6.

Magnesium- a recent study showed those who took magnesium supplements had improvement in their PMS symptoms.

Probiotics- more for PMS-related bloat than appetite or weight gain.

PMS doesn’t have to weight you down. The next time hurricane PMS hits hopefully it will be downgraded and leave minimal damage.

Do you feel like a different person when you have PMS? What do you generally do to ameliorate symptoms? Are any males reading this post? So curious.

Celebrity Spokesperson: Weighty Considerations

from People.com

We’re all familiar with celebrities endorsing diets. Some seem more genuine that others. Certain actors use their role as spokesperson to increase their exposure or energize a lagging career. Others, Jennifer Hudson comes to mind in this group, appear genuinely committed to making changes and invested in the process. As a nutritionist I’d like to think I can sniff out sincere dedication but the more I think about it, I'm not sure the public responds to motivated spokespeople as much as they do to results and physiques they find aspirational. No matter how fantastic a celebrity transformation-buyer beware. You must closely scrutinize the means to the (smaller) end. Look closely at the plan and not just the "packaging".  Last week, The New York Times examined celebrity spokespeople for various diets in “When Dieting Becomes a Role to Play.”

Until reading this piece, I hadn’t thought of the tricky nature of celebrity endorsements for weight loss companies. While most companies want to link up with a celebrity for the potential revenue and image boost what happens when things backfire? Suddenly, things don’t look so good when, ala Carnie or Kirstie, the weight comes back as quickly as it was lost. Celebrity weight gain has the potential to discourage legions of dieters. Countless clients have watched Oprah over the years and her struggle worries them. They will come to me and say “if Oprah can’t do it, how can I?” While disheartening, I’m not sure people cancel their Weight Watcher’s memberships when the Duchess expands. After all, before you know it there’s a new smiling celebrity and the rounder representative is rapidly removed from all promotional materials as quickly as you can say (or eat) cheese.

As for the celebrity, the financial incentive exists for them too. They are paid nicely for their work. As the spokesperson, the celebrity undoubtedly will receive supplementary support and what better accountability could you have than a whole country watching? While I would have zero interest airing my dirty laundry (or larger laundry) in this manner, these are celebrities and accustom to being in the public eye. I can understand the reasoning, people are already noticing and commenting on your weight why not show them you’re doing something about it? This point of view makes sense until things start to unravel. With some of these plans, especially those based on meal delivery, they seem undeniably temporary. After all, at a certain point you would think people need to make choices and figure the food thing out which includes food shopping and preparation.

I would love to see one of these companies run a campaign in support of the “off the wagon” celebrity. I think it would be refreshing (and financially beneficial) to hear “this person has been struggling and this is what we do when this happens.” Instead of hearing that companies dumped the celebrities or failed to renew their contracts. That would be enlightening and real but then again that’s not what the weight loss industry is about. Silly them.
Have you ever been tempted by a plan based on the spokesperson? Or discouraged when a celebrity gains weight? Any celebrity transformation you've been impressed by? My vote goes to Valerie Bertinelli, did you know she also ran the Boston Marathon last year? Do you think this spokesperson business is more risky for the company or the celebrity?

Just how bad are pesticides?

Last week EWG came out with their annual “dirty dozen” (and here’s a CBS segment on the subject I was interviewed for).  The dirty dozen summarizes the most highly contaminated produce and there’s also a “clean” list.  Jenn, of Peas and Crayons wrote a terrific post on the subject. I’m always curious if consumers really take action based on the results. Sometimes it seems as though there’s  the “already organic” camp who go organic to whatever extent they can afford. Then there’s the “organic schmorganic” camp (my mother is a member of) who dismiss the notion of organic is optimal. In the Venn diagram of produce purchasing the “Schmorganics” have substantial overlap with “organic = exorbitant”.  Perhaps, if we stop and think what pesticides have the potential to do to us, people would be swayed. So, just how bad are pesticides?

“Cide” means to kill. When we, or our family members, ingest pesticides we are in ingesting something designed to kill. Sure, they are designed to kill pests but you would you take a hit from an exterminator’s can? As I said to CBS, every bodily system is affected by pesticides. From cancer to Parkinson’s the research is grim. A few examples:  

Pesticides may harm your children, even if they’re not born yet

Pesticides kill insects by attacking their brains and nervous systems, it’s not surprising they affect the development of children’s brains. One study showed ADHD may be cause by damage to neurotransmitters that are affected by pesticides.

A study in the Journal Environmental Health Perspectives  also suggests pesticides may be associated with the health and development of children. “Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley's School of Public Health have found that prenatal exposure to organophosphate pesticides -- widely used on food crops -- is related to lower intelligence scores at age 7.”

What made this especially concerning was that  the results were similar for the NYC children studied at Mt Sinai Medical Center as they were for the children in California living in an agricultural center in Monterey.

Pesticides can make you depressed and less fertile

Pesticides can affect your mood with studies showing depression associated with chronic pesticide exposure. Pesticides can affect those spermies and fertility. I always talk about pesticide exposure when I see clients who are TTC. 

Pesticides can make you gain weight

We think about how certain medications make us gain weight, ever think about how each of the chemicals on your produce affect you? There's an herbicide called atrazine that causes weight gain in rodents. The mice gained weight and in  particular gained visceral fat that increases risk of heart disease. Atrazine is on of the most common pesticides used on crops, particularly on sweet corn.

Purchasing certified organic ensures that no pesticides are used.  You want to eat your fruits and vegetables without a bad taste in your mouth…and those pesticides? They taste like crap too.

Are you “already organic”, “organic schmorganic or organic = exorbitant?  Do you use the dirty/clean dozen to guide your decisions?