Metabolism excuse -- Exercise away your sluggish metabolism
http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/features/scn-sa-diet1sep12,0,7328577.story?track=rss
2006-09-15

Ah, the metabolism excuse. The one that ignores the fact that most overweight people eat too much and don't move enough. Right? Actually, Yavari says, a lot of his patients have indeed screwed up their metabolisms. Recently he tested a 27-year-old "who had the caloric burn rate of a 60-year-old." Yavari blames years of bad diets and yo-yo weight loss for making weight loss such a battle. "Some people may snicker a bit when an overweight person blames their metabolism. But the truth is ... they may be right." What's keeping many overweight from losing weight is a condition known as metabolic syndrome, a malfunction in the way the body breaks down food.

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Ah, the metabolism excuse. The one that ignores the fact that most overweight people eat too much and don't move enough. Right?

Actually, Yavari says, a lot of his patients have indeed screwed up their metabolisms. Recently, he says, he tested a 27-year-old obese woman, "who had the (caloric) burn rate of a 60-year-old."

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Yavari blames years of bad diets, yo-yo weight loss and in the case of some menopausal women, hormonal fluctuations, for making weight loss such a battle.

"Some people may snicker a bit when an overweight person blames their metabolism," says Yavari, an endocrinologist and faculty member at the Yale University School of Medicine. "But the truth is ... they may be right."

What's keeping many overweight adults from losing weight, the Branford resident says, is a condition known as metabolic syndrome, a malfunction in the way the body breaks down food.

The syndrome, which he says may affect as many of one-third of all adult (and often overweight) Americans, is believed to be a precursor to problems ranging from adult onset diabetes to heart disease.

A major symptom of the syndrome: waistlines thickened by stubborn abdominal fat. It is a problem that even exists in some of his trimmer patients, "with muscular strong arms; strong, toned legs; but a thick layer of unhealthy fat around the waist."

What causes it? Yavari says genetics play a role, making some people more vulnerable. And some of it can be attributed to an unhealthy lifestyle. "Overeating and poor food choices definitely contribute," he says.

How do you know you have metabolic syndrome? A workup of medical tests can diagnose it for sure, but here's a quick doctor's tip: Take a tape measure and circle your waist snugly at the naval: Women with an abdominal measurement of more than 35 inches, 40 inches for men, are at risk.

While the waist measurement isn't a given (Yavari notes some recently postpartum women fit that profile but don't have the syndrome) "it's a good indication there might be a problem," he says. Add in high blood pressure, high cholesterol and pre-diabetic blood sugars, "and you've got an even stronger indication it's a problem."

At Beyond Care, his Branford-based center for obesity and metabolic disorders, Yavari and his staff focus their efforts on revving up sluggish metabolisms.

"The bad news is that metabolic syndrome makes it really hard to lose weight," says Yavari. "The good news is that you can change it with some real effort."

Yavari devotes 312 pages to the topic of reversing the syndrome in his recently published book, "It Must be My Metabolism,"

He says, during a recent interview, his strategy for reversing it is about more than just slashing calories.

He calls it a therapeutic lifestyle change, combining diet and exercise."

On the food side, he recommends a diet rich in lean protein and low in refined sugar. He says his diet is most similar to the popular South Beach diet, but his overall plan is centered more on lifestyle change.

"It's more about having an eating plan," explains Yavari. He favors six small meals a day over the more traditional three.

While carbohydrates are not banished, simple ones are discouraged.

What's out:

* Junk food such as candy and cookies.

* Soda and other sweetened drinks (diet soda and artificial sweeteners such as Splenda are allowed in moderation).

* Baked goods such as muffins, sweet rolls and cakes.

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* Breads, pretzels, crackers, chips, etc.

* Calorie-dense, high-fat foods such as hard cheese, sausages and some meats.

What's cautioned:

* Starchy vegetables such as beets and carrots and super sweet fruits like strawberries. While not banned, dieters are encouraged to exercise care - always eating them with protein - because alone they spike blood sugar. For example, he might suggest having 12 almonds and an apple rather than just an apple.

What's encouraged:

* Low-fat, protein-based meals, such as egg white omelet breakfasts.

* Mushrooms. Yavari says they may be one of the most overlooked super foods. "They are readily available, easy to prepare in a lot of delicious ways."

* Small, frequent meals. "It's hard for many people to eat that way, but it's a good system for stimulating metabolism," says Yavari.

* Protein-based snacks such as a handful of almonds or a low-carb protein bar or shake.

* Planning for weak moments. For example, he suggests working patients cook and freeze meals ahead of time, so they can be microwaved on busy workdays. "A lot of what gets people in trouble is that witching hour at dinner time," he says. "They are cooking and eating a meal's worth of snacks while they do it."

Yavari also encourages dieters to exercise, specifically yoga or Pilates.

"I think yoga does wonders for stress, which can lead to a lot of unhealthy eating." Yoga is also a good way for an out-of-shape adult to begin a fitness regimen. "Just something as simple as stretching and opening up their chests can get them going," he says.

The recipes in his book were developed by famed chef Jacques Pepin, also a resident of the Connecticut shoreline.

"What's wonderful about them is that they are not diet recipes per se," says Yavari. "They are just lean, healthful meals that employ many of the principles we teach about diet and nutrition, which is that you can eat really wonderful meals that can help you improve your health."

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