Losing weight with avocado, this fatty food, is quite possible, provided you are vigilant about the amount of carbohydrates you ingest. It is also an extremely tasty and little frustrating diet. Here's everything you need to know about the avocado diet.

Understand the weight loss mechanism

Fats from foods and carbohydrates are macronutrients, that is, they can turn into fat in our body. The peculiarity of fats in foods, unlike carbohydrates, is that they can only become body fats under the impulse of carbohydrates.

Here's what happens in the body:

When you digest food, it passes the intestinal barrier and ends up in the blood.

Depending on the amount of carbohydrates in the meal, this generates a more or less significant spike in blood sugar.

Then comes a spike in insulin that marks the starting point of weight gain: digested carbohydrates and fats are then stored.

To avoid weight gain, it is therefore necessary to take care to eat few carbohydrates because if you do not raise blood sugar, you will not store.

It is for this reason that you can lose weight by eating avocados: they are very low in carbohydrates. Thus, even if they are high in fat, there will be no weight gain as long as you respect the right combinations in the same meal.

Introduce avocado at each meal to lose weight serenely

Losing weight with avocado brings many benefits:

A feeling of satiety: avocado is rich in fats, especially unsaturated fatty acids which, in addition to sustenance, are good for cardiovascular health. This feeling of satiety is important so as not to compromise a diet. Hunger is one of the worst enemies to the success of a regime.

A significant contribution of vitamins and minerals: avocado is rich in vitamin E, B vitamins, provitamin A and C, potassium, magnesium, iron, copper and manganese. It also carries fibers that are good for transit regulation.

Organoleptic satisfaction: avocado is a generally appreciated food that lends itself to many recipes and culinary techniques. The web is full of avocado recipes.

Count between 1/2 and 1 avocado per meal (breakfast, lunch and dinner). The amount is to be determined according to your hunger and satiety (which corresponds to the moment when hunger stops). You can consume it:

in smoothie form;

in the form of cream or puree;

as a salad ingredient;

in vinaigrette or accompanied by mayonnaise.

Pair avocado with other foods in your diet

If the avocado alone is a slimming partner, the whole question is how to combine it with other foods to be able to meet all your needs while initiating weight loss.

Here is an example of a typical menu to lose weight with avocado:

Breakfast: avocado-cucumber smoothie 1 boiled egg and 1 handful of almonds.

Lunch: guacamole on endive leaves, pan-fried salmon pavé, dessert cream made with half an avocado.

Dinner: mixed salad with grilled bacon oak leaf salad pine nuts of avocado slices and a dark chocolate mousse with no added sugar for dessert.

Be free about your fat intake

When you go on an avocado diet, you do not count the fats ingested since you go on a diet high in fat and low in carbohydrates, otherwise called low carb high fat (LCHF). You can then introduce into your meals:

seeds or oilseeds such as almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, chocolate, chia, or flax seeds, for example;

vegetable oils such as coconut oil, olive oil, walnut oil, hazelnut oil, rapeseed oil, or flaxseed oil, among others;

animal fats such as lard, duck fat, goose fat, cod liver oil;

butter or fresh cream even whole;

fatty meats, such as pork or duck, and fatty fish, such as salmon, sardines, mackerel, tuna, or eggs.

Bet on protein to accompany the avocado

In addition to avocado, it is important to consume important sources of protein to spare your muscles always put to the test during weight loss, but also to strengthen the feeling of satiety brought by fats.

Morning, noon, and evening, consume the choice:

eggs;

fish or other fishery products;

meat, especially poultry;

tofu, tempeh, textured soy protein, or gluten-based seitan.

Monitor your carbohydrate intake

On the other hand, the intake of sugars is to be avoided as much as possible so as not to cause blood sugar spikes responsible for the mechanisms of weight gain. Remove from your diet:

bread;

starchy foods and starchy vegetables, such as potatoes;

fruits except for red berries, lemon, and carambola;

sugar and sweet products such as cakes.

For several years, the scientific community has been interested in the effects of psychological stress on health. In particular, studies have shown that in the case of infection, stress is associated with reduced efficiency of the immune defense system.

When your physical health is in a state of change – whether it's a "stupid cold" or any other condition – have you ever noticed that it coincides with (or follows) a period of intense stress? What if, in addition to the mental load it generates, excess stress also impacted your physiological health?

Several studies have confirmed the link between psychological stress and weakened immune systems. Marie Verwacht, naturopath and trainer, specialized in nutritherapy-nutrition, explains how to choose a diet that strengthens our natural defenses.

Stress is a reaction of the body, signaling the presence of risk and the need to remedy it. This mechanism, aimed at protecting us from imminent danger, has existed for millennia: we often give, as an example, the "stress of the hunter", when he is facing a predatory animal. To stimulate self-defense, the body activates a series of survival functions: the heart beats faster and sugar levels rise, to provide energy to the muscles, breathing accelerates to bring more oxygen... In the case of the hunter, the situation is resolved very quickly: he defends himself with his weapon or he flees.

However, stress that sets in over time can become deleterious. "The problem today," explains Marie Verwacht, "is that we experience stresses that are not solved quickly: a tense situation, in a family or professional environment, that persists, without being able to escape it... All the energy is mobilized; there is much less energy for other vital functions (digestion, tissue repair, recovery...). In short, everything that is not survival takes a back seat. Over time, the accumulated tension, as well as the physiological reactions that respond to it, can also weaken the body's natural defenses.

Although they have not yet elucidated everything, some recent studies have confirmed the link between stress and immunity. Published in 2003, the book "Stress, pathologies and immunity" studies the relationship between the onset of certain diseases and the impact of stress on immunity. In 2017, a team of INSERM researchers clarified the biological mechanism, which governs this association: in the event of psychological stress, the stimulation of certain receptors by stress hormones would have the effect of reducing the immune response.

In 2013, researchers at Ohio State University looked at the effect of chronic stress on immunity. Their results show that intense and regular stress can, in some cases, trigger an overreaction of the immune, which can lead to inflammation. This exacerbated immunity could increase the risk of cardiovascular problems, obesity, and diabetes.

Too much cortisol, the body panics...

Stress and intestines: the infernal machine

A balanced diet boosts immunity

Choosing an anti-stress diet

A diet adapted to our biological rhythm

The holidays are over! Back to school is fast approaching and it's time to dive back into our routine to get into good habits to start the school year!

1. Get inspired

In order not to always repeat the same recipes, open yourself to novelty. Be on the lookout for what surrounds you, for example, the recipes of friends or those of Coup de Pouce that have proven themselves with the little ones, or the culinary books with various themes: Thai cuisine, vegan, slow cooker, etc.

"The Internet also has ideas for perfect dishes for lunches. Visit the pages of influencers specializing in children's cooking, get inspired on Pinterest, or subscribe to Facebook groups that exchange culinary tips, without putting too much pressure on yourself to make the perfect lunch, "says the dietitian-nutritionist.

2. Equip yourself properly

 Simple and original advice to make a difference!

Losing weight takes time and diligence. If you apply the right principles, it is not impossible to lose 5 kg, 10 kg, 20 kg, or more. However, there are some basic rules to achieve your goal, such as a low-calorie diet combined with exercise to increase energy expenditure. Today, we decide to go further by offering you 5 amazing tips to lose weight. These are tips that are as original as they are effective to refine your silhouette.

Tip # 1: eat 5 meals a day to lose weight

This advice may seem surprising, and yet it has proven to work. Eating 3 meals a day is practical on a daily basis but does not seem ideal for our body.

Whether it is to gain weight or to lose it, we advise you to split your food intake. This improves the assimilation of food and will avoid arriving hungry in front of your plate.

Concretely, it is obviously not a question of eating more, but simply by dividing up your meals. For example, if you need to consume 1500 kcal per day, we encourage you to set up three meals of about 400 kcal each (morning, noon, and evening), while incorporating two snacks of 150 kcal each, at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. H.

The curves can be associated with our energy reserves. By consuming 3 meals a day, you increase the risk of mid-morning and mid-afternoon cravings. Thanks to 5 food intakes, you can lose weight without constantly having this feeling of hunger. You should know that the more hungry you are near a meal, the more you increase the chances of overeating to meet your needs, not to mention snacking.

It is therefore not really a question of having “5 meals a day” strictly speaking, but rather 3 meals + 2 snacks. The snacks will take the form of one or two fruits, a slice of turkey breast, or even a few cashews. This 4 p.m.Snack is also important if you play sports. It allows you not to go training on an empty stomach so you have enough energy to perform productive workouts.

Tip # 2: doesn't go on a diet!

Are you on your umpteenth diet and your waistline hasn't changed? Your weight is playing yoyo? It's normal. The vast majority of people who lost weight thanks to a diet regained the pounds lost shortly after. 

The explanation is simple: a diet involves food restriction, a feeling of frustration. For example, during your diet, you are not allowed to eat bread, chocolate, sauce, pastries, etc. If you are mentally strong, you succeed, which allows you to lose weight quickly. However, according to the expression, 'drive out the natural, it comes back at a gallop'. This results in a resumption of bad habits once the diet is over! Our trick is therefore to stop believing in the diet and turn to a food rebalancing.

Food rebalancing is based on a gradual but lasting change in your eating habits. Concretely, you must learn to eat better throughout your life. There is no end date! There is therefore an obvious advantage for your physical and mental health, but also for your figure. If you love chocolate, eat it! This is not a problem. On the other hand, then, it will be necessary to think about rebalancing the balance the rest of the day by consuming fewer carbohydrates or lipids at the next meal. The objective is therefore to eat better, without frustration by learning to rebalance your diet according to the differences or the small pleasures consumed.

Tip # 3: Eat Slowly To Lose Weight

Eating slowly helps you lose weight while improving your health. Indeed, the fact of eating slowly, that is to say at least for 20 minutes, leaving enough time between each bite, allows the feeling of satiety to emanate from our brain. Added to this is improved chewing of food which facilitates absorption and digestion.

Eating spicy food is also a great way to lose weight. Spices such as curry, cayenne pepper, turmeric, or cinnamon can increase basal metabolism. As a flavor enhancer, spices help limit the consumption of salt or oil in our dishes, which is fully beneficial for our health.

Finally, drinking green tea regularly helps reduce your water retention and at the same time refine your figure.

Tip # 4: Get more sleep or take naps!

Getting enough sleep makes you lose weight, or rather prevents you from putting on weight, according to the American scientific study carried out by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine .

Sleeping less than 7 hours per night would induce a hormonal imbalance favorable weight gain. Leptin is one of the culprits. Fatigue involves a drop in this hormone, linked to satiety, which encourages snacking. Ghrelin, on the other hand, would tend to increase with fatigue, thus further stimulating the appetite of little sleepers.

To refine your figure, we, therefore, encourage you to go to bed earlier to achieve full nights or failing that, to give yourself a few naps.

Tip # 5: Use Technology

Some smartphone applications can be of great help in helping you lose weight

We can no longer count the hours spent on the screens and especially on our phones. Today, this investment could prove useful. Indeed, our smartphones contain crazy applications, even useless and others rather essential.

In conclusion

There are some amazing tips to help you lose weight. Remember that weight loss must be sustained over time to be effective and avoid the yoyo effect. The goal is to gradually change your habits so that they become sustainable.

 Practical advice is sometimes is poorly known and yet simple to put in place to eliminate extra pounds

Do you want to lose a little weight or burn extra fat, but you find it difficult? Then read on. There are plenty of reasons for your frustration. Beware of diets that promise mountains and wonders, such as losing weight quickly, but that makes you regain the lost pounds as quickly. The following tips will help you achieve your goals in a healthy way in the medium and long term.

Losing fat or weight: what you need to know first and foremost

Do not confuse weight loss and fat loss!

There is a difference between losing weight and losing fat. Many people are looking to lose a few extra pounds. But the important thing is not so much the weight, but the percentage of body fat. It is indeed excess fat that must be eliminated (they are part of what is called fat mass) while preserving or even developing muscles (lean mass). If you gain a little weight by gaining muscle while losing fat mass, you're on the right track.

Indeed, it is not a question of losing muscle. Some diets designed to make you lose weight quickly can lead you to this and are dangerous to health. Staying healthy requires the right balance. BMI is an indicator that allows you to know where you stand. You can also use an impedance meter balance to know approximately and follow the evolution of its fat mass. These tools should be used with caution. Always seek the advice of a specialist who will guide you according to your specific situation.

4 conditions to optimize weight loss

To lose fat sustainably, it is necessary to reduce fat mass by combining a healthy and balanced diet and physical activity, a little sport, for example, but not just in any way (see below), all while avoiding stress as much as possible. Stress releases hormones (cortisol and adrenaline) that serve to boost the body physically to protect it from the source of stress, but, indirectly, encourage eating poorly and therefore gaining weight. The psychological aspect, often set aside, also plays an essential role and, if treated, could solve most overweight problems gently and durably. Finally, losing weight takes time. Do not try at all costs to lose weight quickly ...

To lose weight healthily, that is to say, lose superfluous fat, it is, therefore, necessary to:

• A balanced diet: it makes it possible not to store fat more than necessary. To lose fat and weight, you don't necessarily have to eat less, but you have to eat better. Certain foods or combinations of foods help limit fat storage. Some dietary supplements can also help you.
• A little physical activity: it allows you to destock excess fat by activating the metabolism. With training, the process of using fats becomes more efficient. Sport is not necessarily an effective way to lose weight. It is still necessary to respect certain rules. We talk about this below.
• A serene life and a suitable lifestyle: they avoid the additional storage of fat.
• Understand the origin of the problem: the problem to be treated is not that I eat too much but why I eat too much. If we solve this problem, losing weight becomes a much easier goal to achieve.

Tip #1: Increase your basal metabolism to burn more fat at rest!

 As a sports practitioner and follower, you should know that there are benefits to the practice of sport. Obviously, if it is beneficial, it is also necessary to pay attention to certain excesses. Explanation.

"A healthy mind in a healthy body"

Already in ancient times, the practice of physical exercises was recommended. In fact, that's where the phrase "a healthy mind in a healthy body" came from. This is still relevant today, thanks to campaigns led in particular by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, which encourage the practice of sport as a source of benefits for our health.

The health benefits of sport are multiple, concern all dimensions of health, and are recognized regardless of the public:

Sport is good for the skeleton of each individual. Practiced regularly, it slows down bone resorption and thus better fights against osteoporosis.

Sport can provide well-being, pleasure. It can help boost self-esteem. It decreases anxiety, emotional instability, improves mood, and increases resistance to stress.

The practice of sport promotes the harmonious development of the adolescent. It promotes bone building, the proper development of morals and lungs. It channels the energy of some children and promotes sleep.

It makes it possible to fight against a sedentary lifestyle. Older people who engage in physical activity are more autonomous and less dependent.

In an asthmatic, the practice of the sport increases the threshold of triggering symptoms and thus increases the tolerance to the effort.

The 5 sports  practices to stay healthy

Here are 5 health-promoting sports:

• Running: it reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease in the long term. N.D.L.R.: According to a recent study, running regularly would even be beneficial for the back.
• Swimming: it is probably the most complete sport. This practice allows a greater energy expenditure, the improvement of the level of fat in the blood, and also it does not produce any impact on the joints.
• Tennis and more generally, racket sports: these disciplines reduce blood pressure and improve the function of the heart.
• Cycling: this activity reduces the risk of suffering a heart attack thanks to the balance of blood pressure, it reduces cholesterol and the risk of suffering from thrombosis.
• Walking: it promotes good blood circulation while having many benefits for the heart.

Apart from its fun aspect, sports practice is specific to everyone. Some will go to a team sport (football, handball, rugby ...) to play as a team, still, others will go to a sport of "duo" to compete against someone (tennis, boxing ...), and still, others will prefer to work in solitary sports (walking, running ..). If competition is a source of galvanizing, the challenge we throw at ourselves gives us even more desires.

Important: As a general rule, practicing sports or physical activity regularly helps to maintain a healthy body and improve its health at any age. However, some excesses contradict this traditional virtue of sport. Choosing an inappropriate activity or the desire to exceed one's limits can sometimes make physical exercise harmful to health.

Beware of excesses: sport yes, but in moderation!

"You do too much", "be careful not to hurt yourself", each of us has already heard this phrase at least once in our lives. Indeed, beyond a certain threshold, we go from healthy sport to intensive sport, and finally, we go from good for health, too bad for health.

• People over 40 years of age returning to the practice of physical activity, must favor aerobic sports (endurance effort such as cardio-training) where the intensity of the practice is progressive and where we will favor the duration of the exercise: swimming, walking, jogging ... Anaerobic type of effort, of high intensity, but brief, should be avoided.
• Some sports appear inappropriate for certain specific audiences suffering from particular pathologies. Tennis for back pain, but also horseback riding, breaststroke, etc.
• For the child, intensive training prevents him from living his childhood and therefore essential phases of his development.
• The cult of thinness is also a harmful point of health. The obsession with becoming thin and looking like mannequins can lead to overtraining or undernutrition.

On the side of high-level athletes, harmful points are also present:

• Doping cases show that by dint of always wanting to do better and more, athletes jeopardize their health. EPO can promote heart and bone pain. Cortisol weakens the athlete's immune system and weakens tendons.
• To do too much, overtraining leads to states close to depression. Indeed, too much stimulation of stress hormones can cause a condition like this.
• Also, pay attention to the risks associated with the practice of a sport in cold weather.

How do I know if I'm doing too much?

 The more we become aware of the benefits of consuming more plant-based foods, the more important it is to control our consumption of antinutrients.

What is anti-nutrients?

Although some are artificial, most antinutrients are natural molecules produced by plants and animals that prevent the absorption of nutrients and essential amino acids from other foods. Antinutrients are a particular issue for people who adopt a vegetarian diet, as the consumption of a large amount of these foods can lead to nutrient deficiencies and, in extreme cases, malnutrition.

This is because antinutrients can exacerbate food intolerances and health problems such as heartburn, acid reflux, Crohn's disease, and irritable bowel syndrome. That said, antinutrients also have some health benefits. That is why it would be unwise to completely eliminate them from our diet.

The most common anti-nutrients

There is a wide variety of anti-nutrients, but the most common are:

Phytate (phytic acid)

Tannins (tannic acid)

Lectins

Protease inhibitors

Oxalates

Phytate (phytic acid)

Seeds, cereals, nuts, and legumes store phosphorus in the form of phytic acid in their husk, in the form of phytin or phytate salt.

Phosphorus stored as phytic acid can be released during the digestion of the plant matrix by the digestive enzyme phytase. This enzyme is not made by the human body, but it is produced in the stomach of ruminants that derive their energy only from plants.

In the absence of phytase, phytic acid can prevent the absorption of other minerals such as iron, zinc, magnesium, and calcium. Not being digested, it passes intact through the human digestive tract.

Germination or lactic fermentation breaks down phytic acid, which helps recover minerals stuck in food and makes plant components easier to digest. These techniques are effective ways to combat antinutrients in a variety of plant-based foods.

Tannins (tannic acid)

Grapes and green tea are rich in this bitter-tasting water-soluble polyphenol, which is also an antinutrient.

Tannins have been shown to impede the digestion of various nutrients by reducing the efficiency with which the body can benefit from other bioavailable substances.

However, tannic acid also has important antioxidant properties, which help protect cells from free radical damage.

Tannic acid is usually broken down during the fermentation of grape juice to obtain wine or when heating green tea.

Lectins

Lectins are a category of proteins found in almost everything, including our bodies!

Seeds, legumes, grains, beans, potatoes, and dairy products are all sources of lectins, although only about a third of all the foods we usually eat contain really significant amounts of these proteins.

Lectins bind to carbohydrates in cell membranes and can be toxic at sufficiently high concentrations (ricin, a powerful nerve agent, is a good example). They also cause gastrointestinal problems.

In plants, it is thought that these substances play a role in their protection against external aggressions, but that they may also have participated in their evolution as a means for plant seeds to pass through the digestive systems (without being degraded) and be dispersed.

The American doctor Steven Gundry suggests in his book "The Plant Paradox"(1) that lectins have consequences on our microbiota: they are harmful to the intestinal walls and cause digestive problems (diarrhea and vomiting). This hypothesis is supported by a systemic review(2) published in 1999 revealing that the consumption of foods rich in lectins, undercooked or undercooked, can cause digestive disturbances.

Some lectins are also thought to contribute to inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and celiac disease. They are also part of the nutrients to avoid in case of irritable bowel syndrome.

Although they are currently controversial, there is little scientific evidence to determine whether we should avoid foods containing lectins. In the meantime, the same techniques can help reduce the concentrations of lectins like other antinutrients.

Protease inhibitors

Many of the foods we reviewed above (seeds, grains, legumes) also contain substances that inhibit protein absorption from other foods when ingested.

They work by preventing or blocking the action of proteases, enzymes that break down long.

Oxalates

Oxalates are natural molecules commonly found in plants. In the presence of metal ions, they form solid precipitates.

If oxalate manages to enter the body, it can form calcium oxalate, a particularly problematic crystal, because its accumulation is responsible for kidney stones.

To prevent oxalate damage, it must be prevented from being absorbed by the body. This is possible thanks to calcium.

What makes oxalates actually pose few problems is that most of the plants that are rich in them (leafy green vegetables like spinach) are also rich in calcium or magnesium.

Antinutrients of circumstance

In addition to the antinutrients found in nature, certain supplements or foods rich in beneficial nutrients can cause reactions of an anti-nutritional nature when taken in sufficient quantities.

For example, the consumption of large quantities of tea (more than 1 l/day)(5), red wine, olive oil, chocolate, and coffee inhibits iron absorption.

Similarly, grapefruit, for example, can prevent the body from absorbing certain medications. For this reason, some warnings about food interactions appear on medical labels.

However, a varied diet reduces the incidence of this type of interaction.

Disable antinutrients

Soaking and cooking disable or reduce the action of antinutrients in food, as many of them are soluble in water or degrade with heat. This is one of the reasons why you can eat red beans and soybeans, cooked, for example, but not raw.

Similarly, fermentation is a powerful natural tool for breaking down antinutrients and improving the digestibility and nutritional profile of many plant-based foods.

Take flavonoids, for example, which are linked to the production of plant pigments in tea, coffee, and other plants. These polyphenolic compounds have proven antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.

Indeed the combination of oxalate in the intestines prevents its absorption in the body.